A Chocolate Kind of Love
by Mystic Lady Fae
Summary: After the Golden Tickets, a shy woman appears at the Bucket house with an apology. Who is she, and why is she defending the Chocolatier's behavior? AU: pre & during movie.
1. After the Factory

Disclaimer: I tried kidnapping Willy Wonka, but Tim Burton's goons got to me before I could get to him…

AN: Yes, I am trying to write my own Wonka fic, diverting from the co-written story I've been working on called "_Frozen Chocolate Can Still Melt"_ and going with my own idea. If my partner's doing her own fic, why can't I? I promise "_Frozen Chocolate"_ will still be worked on, so don't worry! Anyway, please review and let me know how this chapter is. It's sort of an AU (alternate universe), but with the movie still interwoven into it, towards the end. Please let me know how this is!

**Chapter 1: After the Factory:**

It was two weeks after an extremely shocked Willy Wonka had left a gaping hole in the Bucket's roof, and things were just starting to look both normal and up for the family. Mr. Bucket had gotten a better job, the roof was repaired, and there was now more (and better!) food on the table at dinner. Everything was going quite perfectly, until…

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The entire family stopped everything they were doing and looked at one another. Who could it be at _their_ door? It was Saturday, and everyone would be in town shopping or out at the theater except for the Buckets, who always stayed home and basked in the presence of their loving family. Mr. Bucket shrugged at his wife and stood up to answer the door. Mrs. Bucket merely went back to preparing dinner while Charlie got help with his homework from his three sane grandparents, Grandma Georgina imputing any silly little ideas that suddenly popped into her head. Mr. Bucket smiled at the homey sight and opened the door.

Standing on the outside of the rather slanted doorway was a young woman, wavy brown hair whipping into her eyes from the winter wind. Deep brown eyes stared at him, but it was a shy stare, one that made the person receiving it smile kindly at the owner of said brown eyes. She was well-dressed in a black trench coat, black leather boots with a modest heel, and what appeared to be an ankle-length red dress.

"I'm sorry to be bothering you today, but is this the Bucket residence?" she asked, her voice soft and polite.

"Yes, it is," Mr. Bucket replied. "How can we help you?"

"Well, you see, sir, I'm trying to find a Charlie Bucket," the young woman said, looking around his shoulder. "I have something I need to give him."

Eyebrows quirked all around the family, the adults suddenly very suspicious of the person at the door. Ever since the whole Golden Ticket incident, there had been people pouring out of the woodwork, all trying to find out about the mysterious Wonka factory. The other four children had already signed book, television, radio, and movie deals to talk about their tour, but the one that people wanted the most was Charlie's voice, since he had been the one in Mr. Wonka's presence the longest. He had, of course, refused any and all offers, but that really didn't keep the persistent ones away.

Mr. Bucket imposed himself between the woman and her view of his son. "What, exactly, do you have for my son?" he asked, eyes lightly narrowed.

"My name is Astra, and I mean you and your family no harm," she said. "I'm not here to exploit him or get any sort of information from him. I simply want to apologize to him."

"Apologize for what?" Charlie quipped up, now standing beside his father to try and get a look at the stranger at the front door.

Astra smiled at the small boy. "Well, technically I'm apologizing for another person. My husband, to be exact. I know that it's wrong to try and patch things up for other people, but I feel that you deserve it either way."

Charlie blinked at her, something slowly nagging him in the back of his mind. "Who's your husband?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Can we continue this inside?" interrupted Grandpa Joe, quickly shuffling to the door. "It's rude to keep the poor lady in the cold, and it _is_ the middle of winter."

Astra was quickly hurried inside, put into a comfortable chair and handed a cup of hot tea. After being introduced to everyone (even Grandma Georgina, who stated that she liked blue starfish), she managed to get a few sips of tea in before being questioned again.

"So, why are you apologizing for your husband?" asked Mrs. Bucket.

"Is he one of those reporters or something that's been bothering our Charlie?" pressed Grandpa George. "Because if he is, then you can tell him to-"

"Dad!" interrupted Mr. Bucket. He turned towards Astra. "Now, why exactly can't your husband apologize himself? Why send you to do it for him?"

"I understand you being a bit suspicious of me, sirs and madams, but I assure you that I'm only here to explain my husband's behaviors and actions to your son and your family," Astra replied, brown eyes turning sad. "I particularly feel that your Charlie is a very special boy, being the only boy my Willy found worthy out of the entire world's population of children."

The room went quiet. All of the Buckets stared at the young woman, realization dawning on them.

"So your husband is…" Grandpa Joe trailed off.

"Yes," Astra replied, giving them all a small smile. "My husband is Willy Wonka."

* * *

AN: Please review and let me know if I should keep going or not! 


	2. The Beginning

Disclaimer: Despite my best burglary attempts, Willy Wonka remains safely within the Burton compound and isn't mine.

AN: Okay, quick note: I decided to post a chapter two and skip adding more to chapter one because, let's face it, a cliffhanger is a better way to end a chapter, right? Also, if my character seems "Mary-Sue-ish", it's not my intention. I have no thought of making her beautiful or perfect in any (or every) way, so please don't toss this fic aside because you read the first chapter and thought "Mary Sue." Anyway, here's chapter two!

**Chapter 2: The Beginning**:

Silence filled the Bucket house as everyone tried to absorb this new information. Willy Wonka had a _wife_? How could that have happened? No one had been allowed into the factory for over 15 years, and the woman sitting at the head of the oval-shaped audience gathering couldn't be more than 23-years-old! By their count, she'd have to have been a child younger than Charlie when she went in and didn't come out!

"How is that possible?" Grandpa George blurted out. "No one's been in there for over 15 years, ever since he closed the factory to everyone."

"Yes, I remember that day very well," Grandpa Joe said, his facial expression turning sad. "That was the day I lost the best job I'd ever had in my life."

Astra nodded. "I remember that day, too, though only vaguely," she softly replied, clutching her tea in her hands. "I was only eight-years-old or so at the time, so I only remember a lot of sad people being interviewed on the news on television."

"So, would you mind explaining how a young woman like yourself married the greatest chocolatier in the world?" pressed Mrs. Bucket, who refilled Astra's cooling, empty mug. "It's rather a big puzzle, to be sure."

The young woman laughed. "Well, it's a rather long story, and you should know that I didn't meet Mr. Wonka until I was 18."

"Just start at the beginning and work from there, dear," said Grandma Josephine, her round kind face donning an encouraging smile.

Astra smiled back. "Well, I'm afraid the story is so long that it will take more than one day to tell it," she said, taking a sip of tea. "Willy doesn't know I'm here, and if I'm gone for too long, he's likely to send the Oompa Loompas after me." She wrinkled her nose. "My own personal Oompa Loompa, Shirley, hates it when she has to find me. I don't like being constantly followed, so I tell her to leave me alone for hours at a time. Then she has to track me down whenever Willy needs to talk to me about something. In a huge factory, it's not much fun for tiny people, and it annoys them sometimes."

Charlie laughed at the image of a frustrated Oompa Loompa. "You have your own Oompa Loompa?" he asked, still giggling as he remembered the tiny people.

"I really wish that you'd explain the Oompa Loompas to the rest of us," Mr. Bucket said to his son. "I'd really like to know who, or what, you're talking about."

The boy looked at the newly revealed Mrs. Wonka. "Is it alright to tell them?" he asked. "I didn't want to tell anyone about Mr. Wonka's secrets, not even about the Oompa Loompas."

She smiled back at him. "Go ahead," she said, waving a hand at him. "You have _my_ permission."

So Charlie told about the tiny people from Loompaland and about how Willy Wonka had saved them and brought them to his factory to work. He described their height, their singing abilities, and their amazing acrobatics that were so fun to watch…as long as they weren't making fun of a person.

Astra laughed at that last part. "Well, they do love to joke and entertain," she said, setting aside her cup. "It's all they had to do while they were living in the trees of their native land."

"So, now that we know about the Oompa Loompas, would you mind beginning your story?" pressed Mrs. Bucket. "It sounds fascinating."

"As long as I'm home before dark," cautioned Astra, brown eyes looked a bit uneasy. "Willy wouldn't like it if he ever found out. He's been alone for so long that he doesn't need many people around him, but he's afraid that if I ever leave the factory for too long, I won't come back to him." She gave a sad smile. "It does get lonely in the factory, despite being surrounded by Oompa Loompas."

The Buckets nodded and leaned forward, eager for the story to begin.

"Well, it all started 30 years ago, when Willy was a young boy…" Astra began.

* * *

An eight-year-old Willy Wonka did his best to avoid the stares and snickers that followed him as he walked down the middle school's main hallway. Since he had enormous headgear due to his braces, Willy was the constant source of amusement for the entire school. No one dared to try anything, like beat him up or stuff him in a trashcan, since his father was the dentist to practically every kid in the county. They were scared to try, since they certainly didn't want Dr. Wonka getting revenge by treating them for cavities they didn't have or stuffing them in unwanted headgear like Willy's! 

One particular boy, Barry, pointed and laughed at him. "Look at the weirdo in the headgear!" he chortled. "Do you catch many bugs with that thing? Get any radio reception?"

The other kids laughed until a sixteen-year-old teacher's aid came down the hall and pushed his way through the crowd. Everyone shut up and looked nervous. Robert Johnson may have been just a teacher's aid sent over from the local high school, but _everyone_ respected the tall teen. That was why no one wanted to try and taunt people when he was around, since he was known for getting back at bullies who tormented other kids.

Rob raised a cinnamon-colored eyebrow, making it almost disappear under hair that was the same color. "Any problems here?" he asked, his voice soft but firm. Everyone shook their heads, and the crowd that had gathered dispersed as though by magic. Rob's blue eyes looked down at Willy. "You okay?"

Willy simply looked up at Rob and smiled around his braces. "Thanks, Mr. Johnson," he said, his pronunciation slightly off because of the hooks in his mouth.

"No problem, Willy," the teen replied, smiling back at him. "And please call me Rob; I'm not really _that_ much like a teacher!"

"Okay, Rob," Willy said, smiling even wider as he went off to class.

* * *

"Wow, no wonder Mr. Wonka doesn't like people," Charlie said as Mrs. Bucket handed him a plate full of carrot sticks and ranch dip to snack on. 

Astra nodded. "After that, my father became a friend and protector to Willy," she said, smiling. "They were very good friends. Dad became a tutor and friend to Willy, and they stayed friends until Dad graduated and went to college. When Dad went to school, Willy was on his own after his father unexpectedly left him, and was allowed to live at my grandparents' house for a while." Astra sighed. "My father did his best to get Willy to meet new people, but Willy was only ten when my father graduated and left," she said, taking a carrot stick and nibbling on it. "When my father came back for summer vacation after his freshman year, Willy was gone, leaving behind a note saying that he was going off to be a chocolatier."

"So Willy was about Charlie's age when he went off into the world?" gasped Mrs. Bucket. "That poor man!"

Surprisingly, Astra only chuckled. "Well, it made him the remarkable man that he is today," she said, finishing off the carrot stick she'd been eating. "Really, he was allowed to discover things about himself that he'd never have known if he'd simply stayed at home."

The Buckets didn't look so sure, but Charlie looked interested in her words. Once the snack was polished off by everyone, Astra opened her mouth to continue the story, but a small knock on the front door startled them. Mr. Bucket stood up and opened the door, puzzled when he didn't see anyone. A small cough drew his gaze downwards and he gasped.

There stood a tiny person, a rather impatient look on its face. He wasn't able to tell whether it was female or male, but Mr. Bucket could tell that it was anxious to get inside, since it was glancing behind him.

"Shirley!" gasped Astra. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

Shirley merely waved her hands around in a rather complex piece of communication. Astra paid close attention, wincing or sighing at various points in the message. The Buckets tried to figure out (or at least follow) the conversation, but remained clueless. They watched in fascination as Astra replied in kind and stood up from her chair, straightening out her coat and dress.

"I'm sorry, but it appears Willy is looking for me," she apologized, heading for the door. "I'll come back in a day or two so as not to make him suspicious about my disappearing for a few hours."

The Buckets didn't get the chance to protest as Astra disappeared out the door, Shirley following close behind her in the fading light of evening. Charlie ran to the door and watched as the two forms, one of normal height and the other at knee-height, faded from view in the darkness.

"Well I hope she comes back soon," Grandma Josephine declared to the whole house. "I'm not sure if I can wait that long for the rest of the story!"

The others nodded in agreement. That night, as they gathered around the dinner table for their evening meal, everyone couldn't help but think about the mysterious young woman they had just met and the strange and isolated life she led in the Wonka Factory. She remained on their minds even as the lights were turned out and sleep claimed them.

* * *

AN: There's chapter two! I hope you liked it. Please review, thanks! 


	3. Returning

Disclaimer: Despite my best burglary attempts, Willy Wonka remains safely within the Burton compound and isn't mine.

AN: Wow, I didn't expect such a wonderful amount of support from people! Thanks for reading and reviewing, it means a lot to me. Enjoy chapter three!

**Chapter 3: Returning**:

Two days passed without any visit from Astra Wonka, and the Buckets were growing worried. True, she said she needed some time between visits so as not to attract Mr. Wonka's suspicions, but it still worried them. What if the chocolatier already suspected her actions and wouldn't let her out of the factory? They would never know unless she returned…or not. Grandma Josephine was especially worried, since she like the girl so much, but the grandfathers were suspicious of her.

"It might be a ploy of Wonka's to win Charlie and the rest of us over, to get Charlie to accept the factory and leave us!" exclaimed Grandpa George.

The other Buckets paid him no mind and just sat around trying to keep themselves distracted, waiting for Astra to return.

Three days after she'd abruptly left, Astra returned to the Bucket house, sans Oompa Loompa attendant, but with somewhat happy smile on her face. The Buckets were ecstatic at her arrival, and she was soon situated at the receiving end of the familiar family gathering circle. As she made herself comfortable, Mrs. Bucket put a cup of tea in her hands and a plate of snacks at her elbow. Astra smiled her thanks and turned towards the family.

"Willy's locked himself up in his Inventing Room, so he's not likely to miss me for a few days," she said, her smile fading a bit. "Though I'm not sure if he's going back to normal or to escape his feelings about the whole thing." She shook her head. "Well, anyway, on with the story…"

* * *

For seven years Willy Wonka traveled the world, studying the different cultures of the world and their techniques at making chocolate, marzipan, fudge, and all other sugar confections imaginable (including some that most believed impossible). Finally, with his head stuffed full of ideas and recipes that he'd either invented himself or had been given by others, Willy decided to open his own shop.

On his eighteenth birthday, Willy opened his first candy store and filled it with sugary delights the likes of which children had never seen before. People came from miles around just to get one ordinary candy bar from his shop, and Willy constantly found himself in need of employees to help make his sweets. Hiring people was a difficult thing, though, and strange people were always showing up wanting to work for him. It irritated him to no end that he really didn't know any of his applicants, and the ones that he did hire were always too busy to attempt to make themselves known to him.

Tired of being without a familiar face, Willy sent out a note to the parents of his old friend, Robert Johnson. He knew that Robert would have graduated from college and moved out of his parent's home by now, but surely they would know where to find their son! In his note, Willy expressed a need for his friend to come and work for him at his successful candy shop, if only to see him again and to give him employment, should he need it.

Three months after the letter was sent, Robert wrote back, telling Willy that he was very much indeed in need of work, as well as a place to stay. His venture into college had been a failure, and Robert was broke in the way of money to pay off his school debts. Willy quickly sent a train ticket to his friend, as well as three months worth of wages so he could get an apartment as soon as he arrived.

Robert arrived a week later, luggage in hand and a grin on his face that quickly faded when he discovered how much his friend had changed. Willy had become a rather eccentrically dressed germaphobe, wearing gloves all the time with colorful coats, hats, and shirts. He also didn't like to be touched in any way, which Robert tried to respect as he learned to keep his distance. Robert also noticed Willy's childlike behavior, as though the candy maker hadn't really gotten the chance to grow up. Still, Willy's actions were somewhat charming and a bit refreshing, and Robert adjusted quickly to his friend's new mannerisms.

After making sure his old friend was comfortably situated, Willy assigned Robert the important task of taking candy orders over the phone and in person. It was a busy task, but Robert enjoyed it immensely (although trying to _pronounce_ half of the unique candy names over the telephone was a bit difficult for him). Still, the job paid well, and during lunch breaks the two friends would catch up on what had happened to them or reminisce on old times. Life was good for the two of them…until Robert met Caroline in a fairytale love-at-first-sight romance.

A petite thing with black hair and eyes and golden skin, Caroline was a charming girl, but possessed a voice loud enough to make her opinion heard in the next county. She had come into the shop with her young niece to buy her a candy bar and had walked out with Robert's name and phone number in her hands, as well as a date scheduled for that Saturday. Willy didn't understand what Robert saw in the young woman, but it didn't take him long to figure out that his friend was smitten with her.

Sure enough, six months after they'd met, Robert married Caroline in a small private ceremony with only friends and family. Willy was present, of course, and though he didn't exactly like the idea of his friend marrying, he accepted it. Robert soon became busy with married life, but he still managed to spend time with Willy every chance he got. The distance between the two friends grew, but they still got together once and a while to sit down and talk about things going on in their lives. It was during one of these chats that Robert dropped a huge bomb on Willy, one that shook the poor candyman down to his boots.

Caroline was pregnant. Willy had nearly lost his mind when he found out that his friend was going to have a child, but Robert quickly assured him that he would not be leaving the candy shop unless he felt it necessary. Willy had been relieved. When the little bundle of joy arrived in early spring, Willy was introduced to the little girl and looked into her dark eyes, trying to figure out why people loved babies so much.

"Well, she is…kind of cute," the chocolatier said, looking down into the crib situated in the corner of the Johnson's apartment. "She looks a lot like her mom, though."

Robert laughed. "Well, then, she'll be a real beauty when she grows up, won't she?" he said, looking proud at his friend's comment.

Will simply kept his mouth shut and looked down at the tiny baby. A sudden thought occurred to him as he saw the little one yawn and drift off to sleep. "What are you going to call her?"

"Well, Caroline and I have talked about it, and we both decided on Astra, from our favorite song by Strawberry Alarm Clock." Willy gave him a confused look. "You know, that song you and I used to sing a long time ago that goes, 'good morning, starshine, the earth says hello?' Well, Starshine was way too hippy-like for Caroline, so we went with Astra, which means 'star.'"

Willy nodded. "I like it!" he exclaimed, grinning. Leaning over to peek at the tiny sleeping girl, he whispered, "Hello, little Starshine."

Astra opened her eyes and looked directly at him before falling back to sleep.

* * *

"You mean you remember all that?" asked Charlie. The other Buckets looked at her in awe.

Astra laughed. "No, I don't remember it. My father told me all about it when I got older, about the time I was thirteen."

"But you knew Mr. Wonka long before the factory!" exclaimed an excited Charlie. "I mean, he saw you when you were born and everything!"

"Well, yes, and I knew him for a few years after he first saw me," she said.

"After that? Did you know him when he opened the factory?" asked Grandpa Joe, leaning forward. "Not many people can say that they've known Willy Wonka their whole lives, or that their father was best friends with him."

Astra merely smiled at the eager old man. "No, I'm afraid I haven't known him my whole life," she softly replied. "The story gets a bit more complicated after the first time Willy saw me."

Before she could begin another part of her story, a soft chiming sound came from within her black coat. Reaching in, she pulled out a small silver pocketwatch with elegant silver engraving forming the shape of a blazing star. Wrapped around the star were silver vines and tiny rosebuds formed out of sapphires. It was a beautiful watch, and Mrs. Bucket gave a small sigh of envy at the sight of it. Astra gave the older woman a small smile as she flipped the watch open.

"Oh, dear, I'm afraid I've reached my time limit," she said, closing the watch and tucking it away as she rose from her chair.

"But you said he wouldn't miss you," protested Mr. Bucket as he also stood up, hoping to stop her from going so soon.

Their guest chuckled. "Well, sometimes he comes out of his little 'inventing' daze and comes looking for me," she replied, walking towards the door. "When he does, Willy tends to send the entire Oompa Loompa population out searching for me until I'm found, and they're very good at finding things." She winked at them. "They're the masters at hide-and-seek, and I always loose whenever I play against them. You just can't hide from Oompa Loompas."

"Won't you at least stay for some supper?" asked Charlie, who appeared to be as desperate as his father was in keeping her in the house as long as possible.

Stepping back into the center of the house, Astra pressed a kiss to Charlie's forehead. "Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I can."

With those parting words, she headed out the door and back to the enormous factory down the road.

* * *

AN: So, what does everyone think? The chapters _should_ start getting longer as I sink further into "Willy Wonka" mode. Please let me know how I'm doing by reviewing (hey, that rhymed)! 


	4. Growing Up with Willy Wonka

Disclaimer: Due to my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine.

AN: Who's waiting for November to come around so you can by the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory DVD (in the USA)? (Raises hand and waves it around like a flag as she grins) Anyway, enjoy chapter four, with much cuteness and sappiness.

**Chapter 4: Growing Up with Willy Wonka**:

Another few days passed as the Buckets waited for Astra to return to their home. Every day they waited, and every day they grew more impatient. Still, patience is a virtue, and so the Buckets managed to pass the time as best they could. Finally, four days later, Astra returned just after the Buckets had finished their lunch. Charlie had opened the door to find a frazzled Astra on the doorstep, looking a bit out of breath.

"Sorry, but Willy's with his crew testing another candy and he's been begging me for my opinion on it for days," she panted as Grandpa Joe led her to a chair and sat her down in it.

Once she was comfortable, Astra was handed a cup of cocoa and half of a warm chicken sandwich, which she gratefully accepted. The family watched as she happily consumed her food and sipped her hot chocolate, a slight smile on her lips.

"Now, where was I?" she asked, holding out her cup as Mrs. Bucket refilled her mug.

"You had just been born and Mr. Wonka called you Starshine," Charlie piped up.

Astra smiled. "Oh, yes, my childhood years," she said softly. "Well, let's just say that I had one of the best childhoods anyone could ask for…"

* * *

"Aren't you the cutest little bugger?" Willy cooed to the toddler in his arms. Little Astra giggled and reached for his nose, successfully grabbing it and squeezing it in her tiny hand. Willy winced. "That hurts, Starshine," he muttered, his voice slightly nasal from being gripped by the little girl. He smiled when she giggled at him.

"Alright, Willy, it's time for her nap," Caroline said, smiling at the cute sight.

She watched with amusement as her daughter reached for Willy's top hat and began tugging on it, clearly wanting to play with it. Willy winced when Astra accidentally got a handful of his hair instead, but simply untangled her fingers from his brown locks and took his hat off to brush his brown hair back into place. Astra's brown eyes started to fill up with tears as she again reached for his hat.

"Okay, okay," Willy said in a rush, putting his hat on her head. "Sometimes I think I spoil you."

He grinned when it slipped over her eyes and she let out a squeak of surprise. Quickly pulling the item off of her head, he handed it to her and let her hold onto it with her hands. Tiny fingers held onto the black velvet and Astra grinned up into violet eyes that sparkled back at her. Ever playful, Astra put the hat back on her head and let it fall over her head, giggling as Willy burst out laughing.

"She's so smart!" he cooed, taking the hat off of her head. "Aren't you, Starshine?" The toddler grinned back at him. "And you're such a happy baby, too!"

"Well, I think that's enough for today," Caroline said, interrupting the moment. She took Willy's hat and put it back on his head. "If Astra doesn't get her nap, she'll be cranky later, and Rob and I are the ones that have to live with her."

Willy sighed. "Good point," he said, though he hated it when 'playtime' was interrupted.

Astra was once again reaching for his hat, but he distracted her with a bright, neon-blue rattle that he'd made just for her. She eagerly clutched at the bright colorful toy and began shaking it, causing whatever was inside to make happy little noises that made her laugh. Willy smiled; he had worked hard to put just the right amount of rock candy inside the rattle to make the sound perfect, and the outside was hard, glossy candy with very little sugar. He'd made it so that when she put it in her mouth, Astra wouldn't get hyperactive at such a young age. Presently, Willy was testing a semi-hard gummy candy for when she started teething.

"That's very sweet of you, Willy," Caroline said as she picked up her very amused daughter. "You always seem to get her the best kind of toys."

Willy smiled. "I just want to make her happy," he said, turning his smile towards Astra.

"Well you certainly do that very well, Willy," Robert's voice called through the doorway. "It's nice of you to baby-sit her while I'm working and so Caroline can get some time to herself."

The chocolatier smiled and watched as Caroline put the now-drowsy toddler to bed. "Speaking of work, Robert, could I talk to you and Caroline for a quick second?" The Johnson's took a seat on the couch as Willy situated himself on a chair. "I've decided that, since the candy shop is doing so well, I'd build a chocolate factory to make more candy, faster."

Robert blinked at his friend's bluntness. "Well, that's certainly an…idea…" he said, looking at his wife. "Exactly how big would this thing be, Willy?"

"About fifty times bigger than any factory in the world," Willy calmly replied. "That should be enough space to make chocolate and everything, right?"

Caroline gaped at him. "Fifty times bigger than any factory in the _world_?" she squeaked. "That would cost a fortune! And who would you find to work in such a huge place?"

"I'd get them from the local towns, of course!" Willy said, nearly bouncing in his seat. "And I've got money flowing in from all over the world; some cocoa bean shipping companies are practically paying me to use their cocoa beans in my candy! I've got more than enough to build my factory!"

Robert exchanged a look with his wife. "Well, if that's what you want to do, Willy, then I'm here to support you," he said, smiling at his old friend. "You'll still keep me working in the factory, right?"

"Of course," Willy assured him with a smile. "I've got to have my best friend by my side, don't I?"

* * *

Six months later, through some miracle that the Johnson's couldn't figure out, Willy Wonka's chocolate factory was complete and everyone turned out for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Robert and Caroline were in the front, with Astra in her mother's arms, chewing on the teething ring Willy had given her just that morning. The ceremony was brief, as Willy didn't like to give speeches, and in less than two minutes, the Wonka Chocolate Factory was open for business! The workers just hired from the town eagerly ran for their posts, and the crowd was pressed tightly around the gate, as they had been promised a small sample from the first several dozen boxes of candy produced by the factory.

Robert quickly kissed his wife before heading off to his job as a candy inspector in the factory.

* * *

Astra woke in time to catch her little brother, Mitchell, sneak towards her bed. She knew that he didn't mean any harm; he just hated having to sleep in his room all by himself. Until last week, the two siblings had been sharing a room in an apartment, but when their parents moved them into an actual house, the two children now had their own rooms. They had moved into the house just in time for Astra's sixth birthday, but Mitchell was only two-years-old and couldn't handle sleeping by himself yet. So, to try and weasel his way out of sleeping alone in the dark, the little boy snuck into his big sister's room to sleep in her bed. Monsters didn't dare attack little boys when their big sisters were around, so he figured he'd be safer with her than on his own. Astra moved over in her bed and let him slide in before going back to sleep.

When the clock struck noon that day, Astra opened the front door to admit her most favorite person in the universe.

"Uncle Wonka!" she cried, leaping at the man, but remembering not to actually touch him. Uncle Wonka didn't like to be touched, but sometimes he'd let her hug him, if she was lucky.

Willy laughed and kneeled down to pat her shoulder, though it looked like it took a lot out of him to do so, even with the purple gloves on his hands. "Hello, Starshine!" he chirped. "How's the birthday girl? How's your brother?"

"He's fine," the little girl replied, looking around for her parents. Not spotting them, she leaned forward to whisper into his ear. "Mitch won't sleep alone in his room; he gets scared of the monsters he thinks live in his closet."

Willy laughed. "Well, then it's a good thing I brought him a present," he said, reaching into his bright purple jacket.

"Present?" called a tiny voice. Mitchell ran in and began tugging on his 'uncle's' coat sleeve. "Present?" he asked insistently.

The brightly dressed man magically produced a rather large nightlight from out of nowhere. "Here you are! Thought you might like this."

"T'ank you!" Mitchell was obviously ecstatic, clutching the sun-shaped nightlight as he ran towards his bedroom, where his mother was presently making his bed for him.

"Thank you, Uncle Wonka," Astra repeated before glancing towards his coat. Uncle Wonka always had interesting presents and candy hidden in his coat, if you asked the right way or looked hard enough.

The older man smiled and reached into a pocket. A bag of what smelled like mint candy appeared in his hands, which Astra eagerly grabbed at before remembering her manners. Instead, she tucked her hands behind her back and smiled up at him, waiting for him to give it to her in his own way. Her purple-clad uncle merely smiled and stood up before taking one piece of candy and tossing it in the air…where it remained, completely defying gravity! Astra squeaked and looked up at him.

"Peppermint Puffs," he said, grinning down at her. "They're so light, that if you accidentally drop them, they won't even hit the ground!" Willy reached down and touched her nose with a gloved finger. "And you get to be the first one to try them!"

Astra jumped up and down, hugging him around the waist before she could remember he didn't like to be touched. This time, though, he allowed her to proceed, it being her birthday and all. They were just pulling away just when the other Johnson's entered the room. Robert came in from the kitchen while Caroline carried Mitchell in from his bedroom. The five quickly settled down for a good lunch and birthday cake before moving on to the gift giving, with Astra receiving the usual toys, clothes, and another four bags of the Peppermint Puffs from her uncle.

As the children settled down to play with the new toys in Astra's room, the adults sat in a much more solemn mood in the kitchen. Willy was unusually serious, and that worried Robert to no end. His friend was usually so chipper that sometimes he wondered if Willy was on a constant sugar high from being around the stuff all the time. Now, however, the world famous candyman was sitting at the Johnson's dinner table, a serious look on his face as he looked into his old friend's blue eyes.

"Robby, you know how much I love having you at the factory," Willy said, purple gloves rubbing together nervously as he spoke. "But I've got some bad news…"

"You're firing him?" Caroline gasped, her hands going to grip her husband's.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Willy cried, waving his hands around. "No, I'd never fire him. I just want to warn him." He raised his hands to stop any protests. "Robby, I think someone is stealing my recipes. At first, I thought it was me being me, accidentally putting them down in one spot and forgetting where I put them. Then, after resorting to a file system, I noticed that some of them had been moved from one spot to another, or were a tad bit out of order."

Robert paled a bit. "So someone is stealing or copying your recipes?" he said. "What are you going to do, Willy?"

"Nothing, for now," Willy said, looking down at his hands. "I want to keep going on until I'm absolutely sure. But I thought that you should know that, if this keeps happening, I'll have to shut down the factory…for good."

The three adults sat and talked throughout the day, discussing what would happen now. Willy didn't want to have the hard task of firing his dearest (and only) friend in the world, so he made some arrangements for Robert to go work at a box company in another country. Robert wasn't thrilled with the idea, but the pay was as good, if not better, than what Willy paid him, and so he reluctantly agreed to move his family elsewhere. The hardest part was telling the children…especially Astra…

* * *

"What happened next?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, you moved away a good year or two before the factory shut down," Grandpa Joe said, leaning back in a chair. "What happened afterwards?"

Astra smiled as she pulled out her pocketwatch. "Well, I supposed I have enough time for telling that part," she said, looking up at the family, who were all eagerly leaning in for more. She smiled and leaned back in her chair.

"As you can imagine, life was very different for our family after leaving Willy Wonka and his factory behind…"

* * *

AN: Like it? Hate it? Please review and let me know! Thanks! 


	5. Life Without Willy Wonka

Disclaimer: Due to my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine.

AN: Okay, quick change in storytelling technique for a while. We've all seen Astra come and go, so I decided to just jump into the narrative without interruptions, like our beloved lead female having to dash in and out all the time…it makes me dizzy, and _I'm_ the one that wrote it! I'm sorry if people don't like this new way, but it is my story, though I'm open to constructive criticism. Anyway, here's the chapter, and I hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter 5: Life Without Willy Wonka**:

It is a gross understatement when one says that life is boring without people to have fun with. It's even more so when you've grown up with Willy Wonka and are then separated from him by thousands of miles of ocean, not to mention cities, lakes, and the occasional historic landmark. Nonetheless, Astra Johnson managed to make it through her childhood years without someone in purple-and-pink waistcoats and rainbow-colored top hats showing up at her doorstep, their arms filled with gifts of magical candy that could make a child's head spin with wonder and delight.

Yes, life was now "normal" for the Johnson family. Robert had taken up a job designing boxes for other companies and was paid very well for his work. Caroline became the normal housewife that took her children to school, cleaned the house, and had dinner ready just as her husband came home from work and the children finished their homework. Mitchell was the normal boy-child that went from playing with action figures to hooking up to video games at the age of thirteen. He hung out with his friends, did well in school, and slept in late on the weekends, like every other teenager in the world. Astra, on the other hand, was very different from her family.

From the moment they had told her that they would be moving far away from her Uncle Wonka and his amazing factory, Astra's parents had done their best to help her cope with the loss of such childish wonder and excitement in her life. Robert had decided to try and keep that sort of magic in her life by telling her bedtime stories, ones that were straight out of the books of Grimm's Fairy Tales and Hans Christian Anderson. Eventually, Astra's dreams included not only visions of sugarplums, but also those of sugarplum fairies, dwarves, and giant dragons.

As childhood left her and the dreadful teenage years descended, Astra held tightly to the magic that her father and Uncle Wonka had instilled in her since the day she was born. The greatest times in her life included opening purple packages from England that were always full of Willy Wonka's newest creations. Astra always took great pleasure in knowing that the candy she took to school the next day in her lunchbox was hers and that no one else had the chance to buy it. Kids she didn't know (or didn't like) would come up to her and wonder where she'd gotten the strange candy that could jump around on the tabletop, or would change color to whatever mood the person holding it was in. It made her laugh when no one could figure out her connection to the infamous Willy Wonka, but she was generous in sharing her delicious bounty with her friends during recess, snack time, or (as she entered middle school) between classes. Although the return address or the stamp on the outside of the package would sometimes be in funny lettering or different languages, they were still delicious and fun to eat and play with, and Astra cherished every tiny bit of the precious treats.

Even when the factory had been shut down, boxes continued to arrive at the Johnson home. It puzzled Astra to no end why her Uncle Wonka could still make candy when he had no one to work for him or to sell it to, but as long as they kept coming, she didn't mind. Mitch had outgrown candy at a young age, but even _he_ couldn't resist a box of Wonka candy when it arrived! Birthdays and holidays often consisted of what the family called Wonka Gift Boxes, but as the years rolled by, Astra got the distinct feeling that Mr. Wonka didn't fully understand that she was no longer five-years-old. Her gifts were _always_ wrapped in pink paper, and she _always_ winced whenever she saw it. It wasn't that she hated pink; it was mostly the fact that she hadn't owned anything in that color since she was eight-years-old. As she graduated from middle school and entered into high school, the candy continuously came wrapped in bright, almost neon, pink paper and ribbons. As she opened a pack of candy on her fourteenth birthday, Astra suddenly remembered that at the last time she'd seen her famous foster uncle, her favorite color had been pink. The reason for that was because, at the time, that had been one of the most frequent colors he had dressed himself in. Finally understanding the significance of that particular color, Astra managed to put aside her minor dislike for it and appreciate it as one of the few things that connected her to the infamous candyman across the sea.

As she began ninth grade, Astra decided to form another link to her uncle and began to write back to the factory, thanking the chocolatier for his gifts and hoping that he was well. And every time she wrote to him, sliding the letter into an envelope decorated with small doodles of flowers and sealing it shut with a sticker in the shape of a gold star, Astra always wondered what her beloved Uncle was up to whenever he got her notes.

'_Is he thinking of us, remembering the times we spent together_?' she thought as she composed one letter. '_Does he still really remember Mitch and me, or is he doing this out of habit_? _Maybe because he and Daddy were friends for so long_?'

Whatever the reason, Astra always hoped that her Uncle Wonka was happy and enjoying life as much as she remembered.

* * *

The passing years had gone by swiftly for the World Famous Chocolatier as well. Even though he had shut down his factory thanks to those horrible cads who stole from him, Willy Wonka still made candy for two very special children. Traveling the world in search of new flavors for candy had kept him busy, but he was never too busy to turn those new tastes into treats for Astra and Mitchell. He always thought about their cute little faces and how happy they had always been to see him at their front door. Even though he didn't really like people all that much, Willy Wonka loved being able to make those two children smile.

In actuality, when it came right down to it, the success of his candy had practically revolved around the joy of the two Johnson children. He always looked to their reactions whenever he developed a new product and brought the final result over to their homes. The Unmeltable Ice Cream had them squealing with delight after he'd set it in the hot summer sun for an hour and nothing happened. The Sugar Balloons had been an idea that had formed while watching Astra toss a ball to her brother on a sunny morning, and Chocolate Birds was from hearing Astra whine about not being able to have a pet, as her father was allergic to nearly every animal under the sun.

When he'd warned the Johnson's about possibly closing the factory, Willy hadn't thought it would actually happen. He'd simply gotten Robert his new job just in case, and had thought that they would move back within a few months. However, several years went by with several suspicious instances, and the factory was closed just before Astra's eighth birthday. It had broken Willy's heart to fire all those people, but it had to be done for the sake of the future of his factory. Oh, he'd known that closing it was only temporary; after all, candy was his calling, and he could no sooner stop making it than fish stop living in water! He would reopen his factory, but only after he'd taken a much-needed stint around the world to see what flavors and ideas he could pick up.

Closing the factory was indeed bittersweet for Willy, but the amount of free time he had to himself gave him the opportunity to stay in contact with his old friend. Robert had sent him a photo of the family as soon as they had moved into their new house, and that photo became one of Willy's most prized possessions. He carried it with him throughout all of his voyages, glancing at it frequently and getting ideas for candy just by looking at the two adorable children staring back at him from beneath a laminated piece of colored paper. It really was amazing what a person could create just by looking at an aging, slowly fading photo…

As his ideas for candy popped into his head, Willy made them into reality, creating the product and taste-testing it carefully before sending it to Mitchell and (especially) Astra, hoping to get some sort of feedback from them. Mitchell rarely replied, but Astra was a wonderful fountain of information when it came to getting letters or short notes of thanks for the candy. He always took notice on what she would passively say about the candy, such as whether or not she liked the flavor or whether she had fun eating it or not.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Willy knew that the biggest thrill of his day came whenever there was an envelope waiting for him, a golden star-shaped sticker holding the precious information safely inside a very lightly decorated envelope. Subconsciously, he knew that his world revolved around getting letters from that adorable little girl that he'd been too happy to create things for, a girl that he would give anything and everything just to see her smile happily at him with those little pearly teeth. It was the thought of that one smile that made all of his travels and work so worthwhile, and what drove Willy to such lengths to get every bit of his candy _just right_.

And in the end, it was that one smile that would hold his heart forever.

* * *

However, in the great bubbling churn that was his mind, Willy Wonka could not fully comprehend one thing: that his darling little Astra was no longer a child who bounced around the instant she got a package of delectable candy from her Uncle. Oh, she was always happy to open a box and giggle like mad whenever she got a Wonka Gift Box, but a little girl she was not, and hadn't been for some time. She was growing into a young woman, and if there was one thing that Willy Wonka couldn't handle, it was grown women.

It was probably a blessing and a curse that Willy Wonka didn't get the chance to see dear Astra Johnson grow up from an adorable little girl to a shy, though affectionate and childlike, young woman. It would likely have ruined him to see the little thing grow "too old" for candy, and for that the children of the world should remain grateful. In this, Willy was much like Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up: he'd watch with a broken heart as others grow up, but he'd always try to remain childlike inside. Watching Astra mature was like the idea of Peter watching his Wendy grow up in front of his eternally youthful gaze: it would have destroyed Willy and any sort of childlike creativeness within his heart to watch that happen.

And so the removal of Astra was somewhat of a blessing in disguise for the chocolatier. But as she grew up, Astra miraculously managed to keep a strong hold on the bits and pieces of magic she had experienced as a little girl, and never let them go. Even though she was no longer a child, despite growing up, she still maintained childlike mannerisms: she always laughed whenever her father and brother held belching contests at the dinner table (much to her mother's horror), she still traded immature banter with her brother, and at night, she insisted on a goodnight kiss from her father before bed. Despite being separated from the influence of Willy Wonka, Astra Johnson managed to still believe in fairy magic and the idea that anything was possible when it came to candy.

Which was a good thing, for the next time she encountered Willy Wonka would change both of their lives for all time.

* * *

AN: I hope that this chapter wasn't too deep or anything. I sort of wrote it in a sort of 'writer's daze' and it kind of just flowed. Please let me know what you think! Thanks! 


	6. Return to the Factory

Disclaimer: Despite my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine. Oh, and I don't own the Wizard of Oz, either…

AN: Wow, I can't believe people like this story so much! Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews; it makes me feel so happy!

**Chapter 6: Return to the Factory**:

Before her high school graduation, Astra received some wonderful and unexpected news from her parents. Of course, at the time, it didn't appear to be wonderful, as both her parents were sitting around the dinner table, talking quietly when she returned home from school. It was unusual for them to be home from work so early, so the situation somewhat alarmed the young woman and nearly caused her to panic.

"Mom? Dad? Is something wrong?" she asked. "Did something happen?"

"No, no, nothing's happened, sweetie," her father replied, smiling a bit as he stood up. "Your mom and I just got some unexpected news from an old friend." He motioned for her to sit down.

"What news?" she pressed, wanting to know more. "And what friend, exactly?"

"I'll go get your brother and we can talk about it."

With that said, Robert headed out the door and fetched his son, towing him away from his video games and sitting him down at the dinner table across from his sister. After both parents exchanged a _look_, Caroline motioned for him to speak first.

"Kids, your mom and I just received a letter from Willy Wonka, asking us to come and visit him in England for a while," Robert said, looking from his son to his daughter.

"We're going to England?" cried Astra at the same time Mitchell said, "We're going to go see Willy Wonka?"

"Yes, we're going to England, mostly because your Uncle Wonka is paying for the entire trip himself and he wants very much to see the two of you kids again," Caroline said, her dark eyes sparkling. "We leave three weeks after Astra's graduation ceremony. And don't tell anyone; we don't want people and television stations hounding us because we're going to visit Willy Wonka."

Both teenagers nodded their understanding and headed off to their rooms to prepare for the trip.

* * *

The week before graduation is supposed to go quickly for senior high school students. It's tradition that they skip school, prank the principal's office, and egg the cars of the teachers. However, Astra was one of the few seniors that actually showed up for the last pointless week of school. This was not because she had to; no, it was because it was the only way she could have some quiet time to herself.

The reason school was currently her sanctuary was because the house was now her parents' center of operations, both of which had picked the _worst_ time to take a week off of work and plan their family trip to England. Mitchell was in school for the next two weeks because his vacation started a week after Astra's; that would leave poor Astra alone and open to whatever torture their parents might come up with to keep her busy during the week she was supposed to be sleeping in, watching late night television, and hanging out with her friends. The only thing that comforted her was that her reward for this needless week of school (and the torment afterwards) was that she was going to visit the greatest chocolate factory in the world.

Finally, graduation day arrived, and after the caps had been tossed in the air and the diplomas had been handed out, the senior class was allowed to go their own ways. Some were hustled onto buses headed for the class trip to a nearby waterpark while others were allowed to go to their own planned parties. Astra herself was hustled into the family car before she could say goodbye to her friends, though they all shouted promises to get together during the summer. Once home, she was practically dragged into the family room and shoved onto the couch, her parents bearing large, happy grins on their faces. That sort of scared her, but the airline tickets pressed into her palm more than erased that fear from her mind.

"You and I are going to England before your mom and Mitch, pumpkin," her father said, beaming. "Just you and me running all over and enjoying ourselves before the other two join us after Mitch goes on vacation in two weeks. You and I leave tomorrow. Happy graduation, Astra!"

Astra could only smile.

* * *

From the moment the plane took off to the moment it landed, Astra felt the butterflies in her stomach attacking everything from her spine to her throat. She couldn't believe that she was going to visit a man she hadn't seen since she was five-years-old, a man she had once worshiped and loved like an uncle. Would he remember her? Well, that was a silly thought; the man _had_ invited them over for a visit, after all! Would he have done that if he hadn't remembered them? Well, it wouldn't really surprise her; he was an eccentric chocolatier, after all. Sighing, Astra looked out the window of the plane as it landed at the airport.

An hour later, Robert and Astra Johnson were comfortably situated in a cozy little bed and breakfast close to the factory. Astra privately wondered why Willy Wonka hadn't asked them to stay in his tremendous factory; from what she could see from her window, the place was _huge_ and should have at least a dozen guestrooms! Mostly, though, she figured that it would be intruding too much on the poor isolated germaphobe; after all, he didn't like to be touched, so why would he let people sleep in and dirty up his factory? Not to mention the idea of four people showering in his home would likely cause him to faint or have a heart attack!

"Well, we'd better head to the factory," her father suddenly said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Astra blinked. "What?" He did not just say that…did he?

Her father grinned. "Willy has been looking forward to seeing you for a long time, pumpkin, so he asked me to bring you over as soon as I could. What do you say?"

She didn't need to say anything, precisely. The squeal of excitement coming from her mouth was enough to send the birds on the windowsill flying for the skies.

* * *

Standing in front of the mirror half an hour later, straightening her short-sleeved red blouse and black dress pants, Astra took a deep breath. It was a good thing she'd taken a dress outfit for the occasion; she wanted so badly to make a good first impression after all of these years. The memories of her uncle were fuzzy at best, but she always remembered lots of affection and kindness, as well as generosity. What would he remember best about her, after nearly thirteen years without seeing one another? Taking one last deep breath, Astra headed out the door with her father.

It was a fifteen-minute walk from the inn they were staying at to the entrance of the factory, but Astra could clearly see the outline of the tremendous building from where she was on the sidewalk. Even though she had been there when the factory opened and had been inside when she was very small, she couldn't remember a thing that lay behind the doors with the large "W's" on them. It was an impressive structure, and she couldn't help but wonder who else lived in the factory to keep the poor chocolatier company. Today, she hoped to get answers to her endless list of questions.

Instructions given to her father had stated that, to avoid the press or public getting wind of their visit, the Johnson's were to go to a back entrance that was marked by a bright berry bush so that they could find it. Astra was a bit skeptical when she only saw the bush itself and nothing else except stone walls and a meadow behind it, but when a section of the wall slid open to reveal a tiny man in a black space suit, she skipped past skeptical and went straight to excited.

"Hello!" she cheerfully said, kneeling down to the eyelevel of the little man. "Well aren't you _cute_?"

"Uh, Astra, I really don't think you should-" Robert cut off his own sentence when the strange little man simply smiled happily at his daughter and held a hand out to shake.

Astra smiled and held out her hand before she realized that her palm alone could probably envelope the entire arm of this tiny being. Instead, she held out her pinky finger, which was happily accepted as a substitute. The two "shook hands," and once they were finished, the little man took his hand back, crossed his wrists over his chest, and bowed. Confused, Astra repeated the motion and smiled. The tiny man smiled back and motioned for them to follow him inside.

* * *

The journey into the factory was uneventful and quite dull. Astra and her father gladly followed the tiny man through the vast empty space between the rear gate and the factory, eventually going though a very large metal door that was painted purple and had a large gold "W" engraved on it. It was a very impressive door, one that made people feel a bit insignificant as they stood before it. For a moment, Astra felt like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, standing before the imposing gates of the Emerald City and waiting to see what sort of magical wonders stood beyond it. And in the back of her mind, she knew that there was an even greater wizard than any author could come up with behind the doors of the Wonka Chocolate Factory…

Astra grew increasingly nervous as they walked, passing one multi-colored door after another, all of them leading to rooms like the Marshmallow Pillows Room, the Spun Sugar Clouds Room, and the Candied Apple Trees Room. They all sounded so amazing and tasty that Astra wanted to see each and every one, but the little man wouldn't stop walking. So, rather than be left behind or risk getting lost, she stayed close to their guide, inhaling the scents that managed to escape the rooms they passed by.

Finally, the tiny man stopped at the end of a long hallway and turned around. Astra watched as he made a dozen signs and did her best to interpret them.

"What's he saying?" her father asked, head tilted to the side in puzzlement.

Astra watched carefully and did her best to translate. "I think he said the hallway narrows down and…gets smaller?" That couldn't be right, but from the way the little man was nodding, she'd guessed right. He continued on. "I think he said it's like an optical illusion and that we shouldn't be afraid as we follow him."

They continued walking down the hall, and sure enough, they noticed that the walls were beginning to close in on them. Astra was beginning to feel a little claustrophobic when their guide pointed to the tiniest door Astra had ever seen. It was big enough to slide a person's arm through, but no more than that. She looked down at the little man, an eyebrow raised in question as to what to do next. He simply smiled and motioned for her to push the door open. Shrugging, Astra did as she was told, placing a hand on the door and giving it a good shove. Her eyes nearly fell out of her head as the wall turned into two humongous doorways and showed her Paradise.

It was an indoor meadow, but the look of it screamed "man-made." Everything seemed to have a sugary glaze or glisten to them, and the air smelled of a dozen different scents, including sugar, chocolate, mint, and even a touch of honey. The grass was greener than anything she'd ever seen, and the trees seemed to be made out of peppermint taffy or some sort of hard candy. There were giant mushrooms that seemed to be made out of marshmallow, with whipped frosting in small little cups dug into them. It was a perfect candy haven, and it looked amazingly delicious.

She took in the scents and sights as she heard her father gasp. Not wanting to simply stand around and stare, she began to walk off to explore the room. Astra found their little tour guide standing next to her, pointing to the flowers and indicating that she should try some. Thinking it was a joke, she shook her head; the last time someone had told her to eat grass and she had obeyed was when she had been six and didn't know any better.

"I'd rather not have grass stuck in my teeth," she said, a slight laugh in her voice as she talked to the small man. "But thanks all the same."

He simply gave her a mock-frown and repeated the gestures in a more aggressive manner. Deciding to humor him, Astra plucked a tiny red flower and gave one of the petals a tiny nibble. The sweet taste of cherries exploded on her tongue and a large grin spread across her face. She popped the rest of the flower petals into her mouth and plucked a few more before she heard two male voices conversing behind her. Turning around, she saw her father standing next to a man that could only be Willy Wonka.

From a distance of about twenty feet, she could see that he hadn't changed at all in the time they'd been separated, though his clothes appeared to be a tiny bit more…subdued than before. Gone were the bright purples and pinks he had worn when she was a child, his tastes now flowing towards maroon, dark purple, and black. There was a brightly decorated cane in one of his hands, the other hand motioning frantically about as he spoke to her father. It appeared that they were catching up on old times and she didn't want to disturb them.

Instead, Astra sat on the incredibly green grass and began to take tiny tastes of whatever was in reach. However, she didn't want to overdo it, so she simply contented herself with whatever was nearby. Apparently, the little man had a sixth sense about what caught her interest, and didn't hesitate to go and fetch things she seemed too shy or hesitant to try and get for herself. Her little Exploration of Everything Tasty Nearby was interrupted by someone calling her name. Looking up, she saw her father smiling and waving at her, motioning her to come over to him.

"Astra, come say hello to Willy Wonka," her father called.

Smiling, Astra set down the flowers she had pulled and walked over to stand beside her father, facing Willy. "Hello. It's nice to see you again," she softly said, smiling shyly at the eccentrically dressed man in front of her. Without thinking, she held out her hand for him to shake.

Willy simply stood and stared, intense violet eyes focused on her face.

* * *

AN: Please let me know how this chapter went! More to follow soon, promise! 


	7. Unusual Feelings

Disclaimer: Despite my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine.

AN: Sorry about the cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter! To make up for it (and to celebrate the release of the movie on DVD), here is chapter seven!

**Chapter 7: Unusual Feelings:**

It had been wonderful to see his old friend again. Robert had certainly changed in thirteen years; his once thick hair was now fading away, he had a beard now, and a rounder form than before, but his sense of humor hadn't changed a bit. Willy felt relieved that Robert didn't hold any grudges against him for sending the Johnson family away to another life.

"So, what have you been up to, Willy?" Robert asked as they stood in the middle of the Chocolate Room. "The last time I got an actual letter with news from you was after you closed the factory all those years ago."

"Oh, just wandering the world," Willy replied, grinning like a loon. He was happy to be with his friend, but was occasionally glancing around as he searched for the little girl that he had missed for so long. "Exploring places, searching for new flavors for my candy, that sort of thing. I've hired some new, extremely loyal employees and I plan to reopen my factory soon, you know."

Robert jumped in surprise. "Really? Well, that's great news!" he said, slapping Willy on the back, causing his thinner, slightly shorter friend to stagger a bit. "You made so many children happy back then, and I'm glad that you're going to do it again."

Willy smiled. "Where's your little Starshine?" he asked, glancing around again. "Don't tell me you came all this way and didn't bring her along with you!"

"Oh, no, she's here," Robert said, smiling proudly. "She just graduated a few days ago from high school, you know, and we thought that this trip would be a wonderful graduation gift."

"Graduation…gift?" Willy didn't get a chance to fully process that information before Robert summoned his daughter.

"Astra, come say hello to Willy Wonka."

A hunched over form stood up from a candy flower patch and began walking towards them. As it drew closer, Willy realized that it was Astra. A lovely, grown up young woman stood before him.

"Hello. It's nice to see you again," she said in a soft voice as she held out her hand for him to shake.

* * *

For a few seconds, Willy Wonka did nothing but stare at the young woman in front of him. Dark brown hair fell to her shoulders in slight waves, framing a blushing face that held a trace of shyness and childish innocence. Eyes the color of rich chocolate looked at him with confusion and unease. Looking down, Willy saw that she was holding her hand out to shake.

Robert looked at her hand as well and touched his daughter on the shoulder. "Uh, honey, remember that he doesn't like to be-"

"Rude!" Willy quickly interrupted as he reached out and took Astra's offered hand in his gloved one. "Can't stand to be rude, it's a horrible thing! I just can't bear rude people, especially mumblers!"

* * *

Astra smiled as he enthusiastically pumped her hand up and down. After a while, though, her hand began to get tired and there was a slight cramp in her shoulder. When he didn't stop shaking her hand, she gave a mental wince as she spoke.

"Um, Mr. Wonka?" she said, her hand still being shaken by the chocolatier.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to need my hand back," she said, giving him a small smile.

"Oh!" Willy dropped her hand as though it had suddenly caught fire.

* * *

For a few moments, there was an uncomfortable silence. Willy merely stood there, the smells of the room fading as his mind raced to catch up with the situation. She had grown up! Little Astra, no longer a little girl with an eagerness for sweets, nor was she any longer sporting the mischievous nerve to spontaneously hug the Famous Chocolatier. And he had loved those hugs…deep down, he'd liked getting them from her, along with the broad grins of thanks for his gifts of candy.

'_But now she is so grown up and beautiful_,' he thought to himself, giving Astra a small smile, which she shyly returned.

**_WHOA_! **

Where did the "beautiful" part come from? Well, her cheeks were a cute rose color from blushing, and there was a cute little dimple on the right side, just above her mouth when she smiled. Her hair was thick and silky-looking, and her shy brown eyes were just adorable. Plus, she was so gosh-darn good looking in her red blouse and black pants…

Willy stopped his thoughts right there. Coughing a bit from embarrassment, he noticed an Oompa Loompa tugging on Astra's black pants, his free hand holding a bouquet of candy flowers. Recognizing it as Phil, the chocolatier made a quick inquiry in the little person's native language, asking what the little man was doing. Astra and her father gave him an odd look, but followed his gaze to Astra's side. Phil the Oompa Loompa replied that the young woman had liked the candied flora, but had forgotten the flowers she had picked and wanted to return them to her.

"Phil says that you like my flowers," Willy said, suddenly turning shy and slightly uncomfortable.

Astra blushed, which made Willy's stomach do weird things inside. "Oh, yes, they're wonderful," she said, reaching down for the offered flowers and nodding her thanks. "I like the red ones best."

Willy grinned, suddenly very proud of his work. "I'm glad you like them," he said, looking her in the eyes. "Did you try the rest? Everything in this room is eatable, even the grass."

"You can eat the grass?" asked a loud male voice.

Willy nearly jumped out of his skin; he'd forgotten that Robert was even in the room! "Oh, yes," the chocolatier replied. "Even the dirt, which is made from graham crackers of every flavor, from honey to chocolate, all of which is mixed to perfection to make the foliage grow better."

"Wow." Astra's mouth formed an astonished "O" when she heard this little tidbit of information.

A small giggle escaped Willy's mouth before he could stop it, and Astra blushed again. As her cheeks darkened, Willy would feel his stomach jerk once more. Her brown eyes suddenly darted away from his when a flash of brilliance hit him.

* * *

"Would you like a tour of my factory, Astra?"

Astra could feel her jaw drop. "Really?" she gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth in excitement. "A tour of the factory?"

She couldn't believe it. It felt as though all of her birthday and Christmas gifts from past, present and future were all being wrapped up and presented to her right here, right now. She would get a private tour of the greatest chocolate factory in the world by Willy Wonka himself! Astra felt like her heart and stomach were going to explode from all the excitement building up inside of her.

"Actually, that might not be such a good idea," her father said, shattering her joy. "We still have jet lag to get over, and Astra's going to need her rest if she's going to see the entire factory."

She could feel herself begin to pout. "Please Daddy?" she said, using her best begging face, the one she only used in Extremely Importantsituations such as this. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Can't I at least have a _small_ tour before Mitchell and Mom get here?"

"Yes, Robbie," Willy said, smiling at her, which made her blush for the thousandth time today. "Think of it as…my graduation gift to Astra!"

Her father sighed. "Oh, all right," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll go to the hotel, catch a quick nap, and be back here in _two hours_, okay?"

"Well, that's just a silly way to waste time," laughed the chocolatier. "I'll just have an Oompa Loompa take you upstairs to a room for a while so you don't have to go very far."

"An Oompa Loompa?" Astra blurted before she could stop herself.

"Yes, an Oompa Loompa," Willy said calmly, as though he were talking about the weather. "Directly from Loompaland. They lived in a terrible country where all sorts of terrible beasts preyed on them, so I brought them here to work for me." He opened his mouth and made a strange call that immediately summoned an Oompa Loompa. "They've been helping me get the factory ready for the reopening in a few months' time."

"You're reopening the factory?" she crowed, happy that others would once again enjoy his wonderful candies.

Willy only grinned. "Shall we get on with the tour?" he asked, looking at her father.

Astra was thrilled when her father slowly nodded his head. Squealing with delight, she threw her arms around his neck in a giant hug.

"Thanks, Daddy," she said, unashamed of her childish behavior.

Her father merely chuckled as he patted her on the back. "Be good, pumpkin," he whispered into her ear.

"I will," she replied, pulling out of the hug.

A moment later, Astra found herself walking through the vastness of the Chocolate Room as Willy pointed out various plants and what types of candy they were made out of. There was even a huge waterfall made out of chocolate! She stood spellbound as the greatest candymaker in the world told her that the waterfall was made of the same chocolate that would soon fill store shelves in candy bar form. As they walked side-by-side, Astra noticed Oompa Loompas gathering flowers and plants.

"What are they doing?" she asked, turning to look into violet eyes.

"Oh, they're just cleaning up a bit," Willy said, waving his hands around, his cane barely missing her head. "The flowers bloom and everything like normal plants, so whatever falls off needs to be cleaned up. Eventually, the gathered materials will be put into one sort of candy or another."

As Willy proceeded to walk and talk about the room, Astra's attention was diverted to a boat floating up the chocolate river that the waterfall created. It was made out of what appeared to be pink hard candy in the shape of a seahorse. It was quite lovely, except for the fact that it was pink. Still, she supposed the pink made it charming and more like a child's toy than an ordinary grownup boat. The paddles were slowly moving in time to a drum, and yet she couldn't see anyone rowing.

"Ah, good, our ride's here!" Willy chirped as he grabbed her by the hand and led her down to the bank of the river.

"Our ride?"

"Sure! Think of it as like a ride through an amusement park," he said, grinning broadly.

Shrugging, Astra allowed the chocolatier to help her into the boat, Willy sitting himself to her right. As she looked forward, she saw that the boat was powered by Oompa Loompas, all seated neatly in rows and grinning broadly as the two taller folk sat down. One of them winked at her, which nearly made her eyes pop out of her head in surprise. She leaned closer to Willy's ear.

"Did that Oompa Loompa just wink at me?" she whispered. Willy gave a half-nod. "Why?"

There were several reasons that the Oompa Loompa would wink at Astra, but none of it included them being "interested" in her. Willy knew that the tiny person had only winked at her to encourage whatever imaginary romantic plots were swirling through the little peoples' heads. Swallowing hard, Willy threw a glare at the offending Oompa Loompa, but only got a dozen giggles in response from the rowers. Rolling his eyes, Willy turned his attention back towards his guest.

"Oh, don't pay them any mind," he said, trying to cover his nervousness at being this close to the lovely young woman. "They're tremendous practical jokers, and love to try and fool around with your mind."

A fairly uncomfortable silence settled around the boat, the only sound being that of the drums and paddles dipping into the chocolate river. As the boat headed towards a tunnel, Astra got a frightened look in her eyes. Wanting to comfort her, Willy reached over and grabbed her hand in his. When she turned to look at him, he gave her a reassuring grin, which she gladly returned.

* * *

AN: How was that? Not too much romance too soon, was it? Is it turned Mary Sue? I hope not! Review and let me know, please! 


	8. Candy is Dandy, but Love is Hard

Disclaimer: Despite my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine.

AN: There's nothing like having chocolate to help you write a story about a chocolatier. Seriously, people should try it. Also, **_no_**, the Oompa Loompa is **_not_** interested in Astra **_in that way_**: he's merely thinking that it's cute that Willy's got a grown woman in the factory and is thinking of how romantic it would be if the two got together. Anyway, here's the next chapter!

**Chapter 8: Candy is Dandy, but Love is Hard**:

Sitting in the pink hard candy boat, Willy tried not to shift around uncomfortably in his seat next to Astra. Throughout his entire life, Willy Wonka had never been comfortable with people. The idea of anyone wanting to shake his hand or even come near him made him shiver, but there were an exceptional few that he allowed to invade his "personal space" and not have apoplexy afterwards. Those few included his dear friend Robert and his charming daughter, Astra, which would explain why he was currently holding her hand as the boat slowly moved through the chocolate river.

The reason Willy was uncomfortable around people in general was because of the way he had been treated as a child. With a head covered in braces and headgear, he had been the center of most jokes from fifth through ninth grade. After that, he had run off to see the world and to avoid people with their rude stares. Then, as he grew older, Willy realized that, for some reason or another, people wanted to get a closer look at him whenever they saw his purple eyes gazing at them with a blank, dreamy gaze. You'd think that people had never seen purple eyes before!

However, he was _especially_ uncomfortable around the female half of the population, particularly those between the ages eighteen and fifty. Willy Wonka had never had much luck conversing with young or adult women. When he was going through his teen years, Willy had never managed to gather the courage to ask girls out to the movies, or even to walk them home. Well, actually, he'd managed to ask to escort a girl home _once_, and she had laughed in his face. It had been incredibly hurtful, and so he had vowed to avoid girls until he felt ready to face them…whenever that would be.

However, after he had become a successful candy maker and chocolatier, women had taken a sudden interest in him. Every time he had gone out, they were constantly winking at him, throwing him odd smiles, or trying to touch his hand. A few bold ones would bat their eyelashes or try and whisper things into his ear, which just annoyed him to no end. Some of them wore too much makeup on their faces, and others smelled like they had bathed themselves in their perfume. Willy's very sensitive nose and taste buds were what made him such a fantastic chocolatier, so he was a firm believer that perfume was one of many things that should be used in extreme moderation.

'_But Astra sure smells good_.'

The unconscious thought made Willy nearly choke on his tongue, which he quickly tucked between his right cheek and teeth. He shouldn't be thinking such things, especially not about the young woman sitting next to him in the boat! Though she sure smelled nice…the sugar in the air mixed with a light floral scent that she must have sprayed on before coming to the factory. The combination of flowers and chocolate was intense, and Willy felt slightly dizzy from the delicious scent of it.

"Mr. Wonka, are you alright?" Astra's voice brought his drifting mind back.

He forced himself to smile and remain calm. "Fine!" he chirped, sitting up in his seat. "Just fine! And please call me Willy. Oh, look, there's the tunnel! Hold on!"

* * *

Before she could answer, the boat took a tremendous dive downwards.

Astra uttered a loud cry of surprise as the air flew past them, the sound of the Oompa Loompa drums beating a fast rhythm in her mind as they rowed. Still frightened by the rushing of the boat, Astra reached out and grabbed the nearest thing she could find.

Willy Wonka's left hand and arm.

* * *

Willy tried desperately to breathe as Astra latched onto him, her hands wrapping around his hand and arm as her face buried itself in his shoulder. He got a tingling sensation in his left side, and his stomach started to tap-dance around his heart, which was beating madly. He didn't really understand what it was he was feeling, so he passed it off as his reaction to the exciting boat ride, as well as the smell of chocolate in the air from the river.

Still, having Astra hold onto him was pretty nice…

'_Oh, dear_,' he thought, trying to push away any ideas of Astra out of his mind. '_I can**not** think about her that way_! _It's not right_!' He looked over at her, her face still semi-hidden by the folds of his crimson coat. '_But she looks so sweet and charming, hiding her face in my shoulder_…'

Unable to stop himself, Willy smiled at the small picture the two of them must make: Willy holding his cane with one hand as the other clutched Astra's, her other hand clutching his arm as if her life depended on it and her face snuggled in his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see several of the Oompa Loompas snickering at the two taller folk as they rowed.

Willy pushed all of that out of his mind in order to focus on what he had offered to do: show Astra around the factory. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he looked up and spotted the Inventing Room towards their right side.

"Stop the boat," he called, gesturing to the room with his cane.

The boat slowed to a stop, the drum beats fading as the pink seahorse drew up to the large door with the words "Inventing Room" glowing in white light. Willy looked down at the young woman who still had her face buried in his shoulder, her hands still holding onto him. Now he could feel her warm breath on his skin through his coat, and very much saddened at having to break away from her touch so soon. Still, they didn't have much time before her father woke from his nap and came looking for her, so he might as well get this party started…though he'd much rather have Astra hold onto him like this for a while longer…

"Come on, Starshine," he whispered, his free hand reaching up to untangle her from his side.

Astra pulled her head up to look around and blushed, quickly releasing him from her death-grip. "Sorry," she said, reaching up and adjusting her wind-tossed brown hair. "It's just that the drop took me by surprise, that's all."

As she talked, Astra pulled a small red elastic band from her pocket and drew her hair back into a ponytail. Willy tried not to pout; he liked seeing her with her hair down. It made him want to brush and fiddle with it until his fingers cramped up. Holding back a sigh, he merely smiled and stood up, offering her a hand out of the boat, which she accepted with a smile that made his heart flip. However, instead of letting go once they were on dry land, Willy simply tucked her hand in the crook of his arm as he guided her towards the immense metal door in front of them.

"This is the most important room in the entire factory," he said, smiling once he caught the excited look on Astra's face.

"Is this where you got all of your ideas for candy?" Astra blurted out, her eyes full of questions. "Like the Chocolate Birds, or the Peppermint Puffs you gave me for my birthday?"

"Well, yes." Willy was surprised that she remembered the candies he had made for her and her brother. It had been so long ago and she had been so young that he half expected her memories of them to have faded to nothing by now. "You still remember those?"

She nodded. "I had lots of fun showing off the Puffs to my friends at school," Astra said, a dreamy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "They knew that my dad worked at the factory, so they thought it was neat that I got new candies before they did." Suddenly, she giggled. "They never knew that the greatest candy maker in the world was a close friend of the family."

Willy smiled at her as he led her inside, the sounds of machinery and bubbling formulas surrounding them as they entered the room.

* * *

Astra looked around the Inventing Room in awe. There were machines everywhere, all of them making noises of various kinds. A few whistled, some squeaked, and the rest either bubbled, churned, thumped, or (oddly enough) made soothing water noises. It was the most colorful and active room that she had ever seen in her entire life.

"Wow," she whispered, her eyes darting around to catch everything that was going on.

"Do you like it?" Willy asked, his violet eyes begging her to say 'yes.'

"It's wonderful," Astra replied, watching as one machine let out a huge cloud of purple steam. "What does that machine do?" She pointed at the one spewing the steam.

"Oh!" he said, dragging her towards it. "This is the machine that makes Fizzy Lifting Drinks!"

"Fizzy Lifting Drinks?" she repeated, looking at the steam coming out.

"Yup! Unfortunately, though, I haven't gotten the formula quite right, because it should be _bubbles_ and not steam coming out of it," Willy said, a slight frown on his face. "I'll get it eventually, though."

"Well, what's the drink supposed to do?" Astra couldn't help but be curious about a thing that had the words 'fizzy' and 'lifting' in its title.

"It's supposed to help you float after you drink it," the chocolatier replied, giggling with a large grin on his face. "I'm especially looking forward to testing this one myself."

Astra blinked at him in surprise. "If it helps you float, how do you get down?"

"You burp, of course!" he said, as though it should have been obvious.

She couldn't help but laugh at the image of hundreds of thousands of children floating around, burping and giggling as they floated around and fell to earth. It was a funny image, and Astra rather enjoyed it. As she recovered and tried to stop her giggles, she noticed that Willy was watching her with an equally amused smile on his face. When he noticed that he had her attention once more and that her fit of laughter was over, he placed a gloved hand on the middle of her back and guided her further into the Inventing Room.

* * *

For Willy, the two hours allowed to them by Robert passed far too quickly. Astra was full of questions, and the chocolatier was all too eager to answer them. Normally he would have had a heart attack answering such questions, but since it was Astra asking them, he didn't mind. He showed her the Square Candies That Look Round, and the Hot Ice Cream for Cold Days. As he led her around the Inventing Room, he kept a firm grip on her hand or waist to keep her from venturing too close to the machines and getting hurt. The Oompa Loompas knew how to handle themselves in dangerous situations, but Willy would rather be eaten by a snozzwanger than let something happen to his Astra!

'_Wait, **my** Astra_?' he thought as he led her back to the boat. '_Since when did she become **my** Astra_?'

Deciding to let the thought pass, Willy focused on keeping Astra calm during their boat ride back up to the Chocolate Room. As the boat moved forwards, he kept her right hand in a tight grip within his gloved left hand, telling himself it was to make sure she didn't fall out of the boat during the exciting ride. Of course, that was just a silly thought, since neither he nor any of his rowers had ever fallen out of the boat in the past. Still, it gave him a sort of peace of mind, and it appeared to make Astra calmer, too, so it was a good thing all around.

The ride was fairly uneventful. As they moved, Willy pointed out rooms, such as the Jelly Bean Room, the Whipped Cream Room, the Marshmallow Pillows Room, and the Powdered Sugar and Coconut Snow Room. However, Astra seemed to take particular interest in the Mint Forest Room.

"Mint Forest Room?" she asked, turning to look him in the eye. "What's that room like?"

"It's an entire forest made out of mint flavored sugar," Willy replied, giggling. "All of the plants and things are made up of the different kinds of mint flavors: spearmint, peppermint, wintergreen, etc."

Astra's eyes glazed over as she imagined such a room. "I want to see that room first when I come back," she said, her voice turning dreamy and wistful.

Willy smiled and squeezed her hand. "Then I promise that I'll take you straight there when your whole family comes to see my factory, Starshine," he whispered into her ear.

He noticed that she shivered and blushed at the sound of his voice, and he grinned. There were so many gosh-darn reasons for him to be happy today! Astra had come back into his life, and even though she was grown up, she was a _lovely_ grown up who apparently still loved candy as much as when she had been small. Seeing her eyes suddenly turn dreamy at the thought of one of his candy rooms made him want to jump up and dance around his boat. Never in his life had Willy Wonka wanted to make a grown up woman happy with his work, and yet here he was, eager to do anything to make Astra smile or have her look excited about something he had invented.

As Astra and her father walked out of the back of the factory, Willy felt unusually eager for the rest of the family to come to visit. It would be a few days, but that would only give him time to make his entire factory presentable to his guests…and to tidy up the Mint Forest Room to be the greenest and tastiest it could be.

Whistling, Willy headed off to the interior of his factory, eager to get started on his work.

* * *

AN: Aw, he likes her! Isn't that cute? Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks! 


	9. A Personal Tour and Inward Battles

Disclaimer: Despite my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine.

AN: Someone wants to know why Willy needs a "hair" when he's got a wife. The answer: you must read the story to find out! (Winks) If I told you, it'd spoil the story. (Laughs evilly) Enjoy!

**Chapter 9: A Personal Tour & Inward Battles**:

Astra was in a tremendous daze as she and her father walked back to the little inn. The things she had seen were absolutely amazing, and the fact that _Willy Wonka_ had promised to _personally_ show her a room that she specifically wanted to see was mind-blowing! Her father had asked her questions about what she had seen and had laughed at her excited descriptions of everything. He thought it was cute that she was all worked up over candy.

And yet, in his heart, Robert knew that of his two children, Astra had been the one most influenced by his candy-making friend. Mitchell had grown up like the normal teenager: video games, pizza, soda, and sleeping in on holidays and weekends were his livelihood. Astra, however, clung to the magical and fantastic like a lifeline. She adored watching movies with magic, and her room was filled with books that contained wizards, elves, dragons, and knights. He really couldn't blame his daughter for her beliefs in the fantastic; after all, the world's greatest chocolatier had given her fantastic, magical candies before she could even walk and talk! On the other hand, Robert wanted his little Astra to actually grow up like all the other teens. Having her head in the clouds wasn't really good for her, and wouldn't get her very far in the world, unless Willy gave her a job in his magnificent factory, which was never going to happen. Those tiny people he had working for him were doing a first-class job of running things there, so there was no way Willy was going to hire her for any sort of reason.

Sighing, Robert wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulders as they entered the hotel room.

* * *

Her mother arrived a week after the factory visit, a very grumpy Mitch at her side. As the two unpacked, Astra was able to figure out from her brother's grunts and muttered replies to her questions that the batteries on his video game had quit, and he'd forgotten to bring spares. She laughed and handed him a couple pairs from the box of batteries she'd brought for her CD player. After that, Mitch had perked up enough to look excited when their parents had ordered room service for dinner.

Over her seafood pasta, Astra told them about the wonderful things she'd seen in Willy Wonka's Inventing Room, her brother giving her looks of disbelief as she talked. Her mother just smiled and nodded, apparently understanding all of the wonders that Astra had seen. When her dad had confirmed the beauty and delicious atmosphere of the Chocolate Room, Mitch started to look interested, and soon he was unable to wait for the family's visit to the factory.

Three days later, after everyone was rested and ready, the four of them snuck to the back of the factory, where they were once again met by a very solemn Oompa Loompa. Her mother and Mitch were shocked (to say the least) at the sight of the tiny person, but Astra merely smiled at the little man and asked him where they could find Mr. Wonka. The Oompa Loompa had crossed his arms over his chest and led them to the Chocolate Room, where Willy Wonka stood by the chocolate river, a broad grin on his face at the sight of the entire Johnson family once again together in front of him.

* * *

Willy was fairly nervous as he (grudgingly) shook hands with Caroline and her much grown-up son. Caroline had white strands of hair already shimmering in her black locks, and dear little Mitchell was as tall as Willy himself! In his mind, Willy firmly believed that Mitch had somehow been stretched out during his life; he was so tall and skinny! Biting back a giggle, Willy's gaze drifted towards Astra, who was giving him a warm and happy smile. Swallowing hard, Willy did his best to keep his heart from doing the tango with his stomach.

"Well, let's boogie!" he exclaimed, having lack of a better word choice.

Without even thinking about it, Willy found himself offering his left arm to Astra, who accepted it with a shy smile and a blush that made his heart pound. Oh, dear…today was probably going to be a _very_ long day…

* * *

Walking around the biggest chocolate factory on Earth would tire anyone out…anyone, that is, except for Willy Wonka. However, the chocolatier quickly took notice of how the Johnson family began to wilt from all of the walking, mainly from the way Astra began to sag as she held onto his arm. Chewing his bottom lip, Willy decided to stop near the guest rooms so that they could rest. He showed them all to a room, saving one in particular for last. After Robert, Caroline, and Mitchell had retired for a nap, Willy grabbed Astra by the hand and dragged her to the room he'd had made especially for her. Opening the door, he watched as she looked around the room and inhaled deeply.

"_Mint_!" Astra gasped, smiling as she clapped her hands in joy and excitement. "It's _wonderful_!"

Everything was green, the shade of mint plants. Not that anything was wrong with the traditional peppermint colors, it was just that when Willy thought of mint, he thought of the color green. So here was a room of deep green furnishings, the curtains covering the windows and surrounding the bed a mixture of light and dark green. Dark mahogany wood made the room a little 'forest-like', and Willy couldn't hold back a burst of laughter as she ran and jumped on the bed, squealing as she did so.

"So you like it, then, Starshine?" he asked, wanting to be sure of her approval.

"Oh, it's the greatest room in the whole world," she said, still lying on top of the bed, her eyes closed.

"Did you still want to see the Mint Forest Room?"

Willy didn't know what compelled him to ask that. In the back of his mind, Willy knew that it didn't seem right to take her around the factory without her family, but for some reason, he wanted to be alone with her. He wanted to show her the wonders of his factory without her family there, asking silly questions and interrupting while he was trying to impress her. It wasn't that he was _angry_ at the other Johnson's; it was just the idea of spending more time with Astra was so much more appealing. Looking over, he saw her sitting up straight on her bed, a broad grin on her face.

"Really?" she asked, brown eyes eager as she looked at him.

Willy could feel himself smiling back as he held out a hand for her to take.

* * *

As they walked down the hallway, Astra found herself very much enjoying this "alone time" she was spending with the world's greatest chocolatier. He had asked her to call him Willy, but she wasn't sure if she should. Although, after he'd insisted for the tenth time that she should address him by his first name, Astra had given in.

"Willy?" He jumped at the sound of her voice. She smiled. "Sorry," she said, blushing in shame at startling him. "Um, could you tell me what the Mint Forest Room is made of?"

The violet-eyed man that had her hand tucked in the crook of his arm smiled. "Oh, just the usual," Willy said, his cane tapping as he walked. "Chocolate for the tree trunks, and the leaves and grass are made up of a new mint confection called swudge, which is what the grass in the Chocolate Room is made of."

Astra remembered how good the flowers in the Chocolate Room had tasted, and could only imagine what the Mint Room itself looked like in real life. It sounded so lovely that she couldn't wait to see it! Walking beside the Chocolatier, she felt his arm press her hand closer to his side, the velvet of his coat softly caressing her fingers. The heat from his body was pleasant, though she couldn't understand why. It was then that she noticed that she no longer heard the 'tap, tap' of his cane hitting the ground. Taking a quick glance over, she saw his left hand was magically empty…and was now moving to cover the hand she had nestled in his elbow.

Swallowing hard, Astra felt his latex-covered hand overlap hers, its warmth making its way through the rubbery material and onto her hand. For some reason, Willy's action made her a tad bit nervous. It wasn't like she had never held hands with a guy before, it was just that it had never felt this, well, _nice_. Most guys had tended to get sweaty palms whenever she held hands with them, but this experience with Willy wasn't like that, and she found herself liking it quite a bit. So instead of saying something, Astra kept her mouth shut and enjoyed the experience.

Before she knew it, Willy was opening the door to the Mint Forest Room, the sight and scent of which made her practically fall to her knees, drooling.

It was a forest with trees of every variety from elm to pine, their leaves and needles all a different shade of mint attached to chocolate branches. The ground was covered in the same green grass sported in the more colorful Chocolate Room, and the smell of a half-dozen different mint flavors assaulted her senses. It was absolutely mind-blowing, and Astra felt a tad bit dizzy from it all. The hand resting on Willy Wonka's arm tightened and she could feel him grip her hand and arm in an attempt to steady her.

"Are you alright, Starshine?" he asked in a concerned tone.

She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm fine," she said, her voice tired and somewhat dazed. "I just think that I need to sit down for a bit."

Astra suddenly found herself swept up bridal style in Willy's arms, right before he gently set her down on the candy grass. She blinked, trying to process the fact that she was presently sitting on mint-flavored swudge grass right next to Willy Wonka himself. His right arm was still around her waist, as though he feared that she would faint without his help. Sighing, Astra decided to close her eyes, just for a moment…

* * *

The pressure of Astra's head resting on his shoulder nearly caused Willy to have a heart attack and jump for joy, all at the same time. It probably didn't help that his arm was wrapped around her waist in a fairly intimate manner, and the sensation of her leaning against him was enough to make his heart launch into a complex dance in his chest. He'd done some research in his personal library before Astra had returned to the factory with her whole family, and he now understood why he had been feeling this way whenever they were alone together…or whenever they were together, period.

'_I **can't** feel like this about her_, _though_,' Willy frantically thought as he unconsciously tightened his grip on Astra's waist. '_She's my best friend's daughter_.' He looked down at her drowsing form seated next to him, her breathing deep and soft. '_But she's so darn pretty…I can't help but want to look her and want to see her smile at me every time I show her something new_!'

Suddenly, something shifted inside of Willy. He didn't exactly know what it was, but when he looked down at Astra's closed eyes, her long brown eyelashes resting on her cheeks and a smile on her lips, it shifted again. He tried to figure out what it was, but couldn't. It felt like the small crush he'd had on a girl once, but it also felt like something…more…something…deeper. He looked at her again.

'_It can't be l-l-lo-_' Oh, gosh darn it, no! No, he couldn't even _think_ it was l-l-lo-…

In his mind, Willy Wonka was determined _not_ to think of his best friend's daughter in that way, even if she was a lovely young woman and she had her head happily resting on his shoulder. Right now, Astra was simply the energetic, eager little girl who had always been glad to see him whenever he came over to visit, or when he brought over small gifts. Yes, just an innocent little girl who liked candy and the joy that it brought her whenever she opened a package of his newest creations…

Sighing, Willy kept those thoughts repeating in his head, though his heart refused to allow those beliefs to influence how it felt on the situation. Throughout his life, Willy Wonka had tried to deny what his heart was trying to tell him and simply acted whenever he pleased. In fact, the only time he actually listened to his heart was when it gave a burst of joy at a new candy idea, or when it had a good feeling about something. Other than that, Willy refused to listen to his emotions when it told him to do certain things…such as doing something more intimate with the sleeping beauty presently lying next to him.

'_No, I couldn't_,' he thought, panicked as his head began inching towards her, the tender grip he had on her drowsing body suddenly growing firmer by the moment.

Diverting his head at the last moment, Willy brushed his lips against Astra's forehead in a lingering kiss, pulling back when he heard her deep breathing change.

* * *

It had been such a nice dream. Willy Wonka had been sitting next to her in a field of mint-flavored grass as she slept, his arms holding her gently as she floated in her own private dreamland. Then, as she neared the end of her candy-filled dream, Willy's arms had tightened around her as he held her closer to him.

She had returned to the land of wakefulness just in time to experience the feeling of Willy Wonka's lips on her forehead. The tender gesture had surprised her to no end, and she had stirred in surprise at the unexpected contact. As she looked up, Astra saw a trace of guilt and nervousness in Willy's purple eyes. Did he feel bad about kissing her? Or was it he felt guilty of kissing her while she slept, and believed that he had taken advantage of her? It didn't matter…she couldn't stand to see him so upset. So, instead of pushing him away, Astra smiled up at the chocolatier holding her in his arms.

* * *

To the experienced eye, anyone could see that the mere sight of Astra Johnson's smile had a devastating effect on Willy Wonka. His smile grew broader, even as he gulped loudly and tried to hide his emotions the best that he could. On the inside, though, Willy's insides were flapping like a flag caught in a rough wind, and his mind was filled with a fog made out of rainbow-colored butterflies. In an attempt to clear his mind of the butterflies and keep his cool, Willy plastered on a grin, inadvertently tightening his grip on Astra in the process. It was as his gloved fingers slightly dug into Astra's hip that he realized what, exactly, he was doing.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" he said, forcefully pulling his hands back from her body and clasping them behind his back, looking thoroughly ashamed of himself.

Looking up into Astra's brown eyes, Willy wondered if his imagination was playing tricks on him. Did she look _unhappy_ at being released from his arms? No, it couldn't be…could it? Swallowing hard as he put the rather inappropriate thought out of his head, Willy quickly stood up and offered her a gloved hand.

"Well, we'd better get trucking if we're going to make it back to your parents before they wake up!" he blurted out in a cheerful voice. "It's a long way back up to the guest rooms!"

Astra pouted a little, but took his hand, nonetheless. "Why don't we take the boat back?" she asked as she stood, brushing the grass from her pants.

Willy gave a genuine laugh. "Because the boat only goes down into the lower floors of the factory, silly!" he said, giggling as he tucked her right hand into the crook of his left arm. "And I walk everywhere else because it's good exercise and doesn't tire me out."

"Maybe you should invent another way to get around the factory," she suggested as they left the Mint Forest and headed back up to the bedrooms. "You know, something that could take you everywhere really quickly but doesn't take as much work to function, like the boat does with the muscle power of the Oompa Loompas."

As he walked, Willy chewed his lower lip in thought. It was a good idea, and it would save a whole bunch of time getting everywhere. Walking took quite a bit of his day while trying to get from one side of the factory to the other, but it gave him time to think. On the other hand, it would save a whole bunch of time to travel faster…and he could think in any part of the factory. But what could possibly be the best way to get around a place he already knew like the back of his gloved hand?

Beside him, Astra gave a brilliant, breathless answer to his dilemma as she walked the long corridors of the factory.

"Makes me wish there was an elevator that went up to the guest floor."

* * *

The last word had barely left her lips before a pair of strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her into the air. She gave a squeak of surprise as Willy proceeded to dance her around the hallway, laughing as she did her best not to loose her lunch.

"You're brilliant, Starshine!" he cried, grinning up at her with sparkling violet eyes. "In fact, I think you're almost as brilliant as I am!"

Astra blushed. "I doubt that," she said as he gently set her down on the floor.

"It's brilliant, of course," Willy proceeded to babble as he took her hand in his and began walking once more. "Just think of it: an elevator that goes to every room of the factory with the push of a button! I'll have the Oompa Loompas get started on it at once!"

"But elevators only go up and down," she said. "And it would take forever for you to put one in now, what with the factory having to have floors ripped out and everything just so you could put it in."

He only giggled at her. "Don't worry, Starshine," he said, smiling down at her. "I guarantee that this will be one special elevator."

* * *

AN: For the love of all things Wonka, please review and let me know what you think! Thanks! 


	10. Exciting Elevator Rides

Disclaimer: Despite my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine.

AN: This chapter may get a little…_heated_…but nothing adult, I promise you! Nice and sappy, though, and good enough for the younger readers. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 10: Exciting Elevator Rides**:

While the Johnson family explored the town and all of its quaintness, Willy Wonka spent the entire time cooped up with his Oompa Loompa workers, trying to figure out how to install his newest form of transportation. Astra really was quite clever in her (unknowing) suggestion, as this new form of elevator would be unlike anything else in the world, and Willy was determined to have it completely finished and well-tested by the time Astra returned for another tour of the factory.

Before the Johnson family had left, both Robert and Caroline had declared that they had achieved their goal at seeing the factory to the extent of their limits. Mitchell had also expressed his satisfaction at seeing everything he could in one day, and had no desire to see more. Astra, on the other hand, had practically begged to be allowed back into the factory in order to see Willy's new take on the common elevator. The chocolatier had quickly approved of her return, though her parents looked a bit uneasy at the though of their daughter coming back for a third visit. Still, they allowed it, and made a promise to return in a week, which gave Willy that much time to create, install, and test his newest creation.

Most of that time was dedicated to getting all of the rooms connected with wires and metal rails for the elevator to run on. The amazingly strong sheets of glass that actually formed the elevator walls were quite easy to make and put together, and the buttons with lights and labels were fun to install. Considering all the materials he had in the factory, it only took Willy about three days to connect all of the rooms and one day to put the elevator together. When it came time to test it, the Oompa Loompas were a tad bit nervous that something would go wrong, and had suggested an 'emergency button,' which would trigger four small rockets at the top of the elevator that would keep the elevator aloft if anything bad should happen.

Testing the glass elevator was what Willy had been looking forward to most. He had made it out of glass so that he could look over the rooms that he passed through and see if everything was going all right…and to see Astra's expression whenever they were in motion. The slight problem with the elevator was the jerking motion that it produced, but Willy was soon able to handle it with little difficulty. The testing went very smoothly, and he was practically bouncing off the walls with impatience with waiting for Astra's arrival at the factory.

When the day arrived, Willy was frantically pacing the hallway at the back of his factory, waiting for the Oompa Loompa he'd sent out to return with Astra in tow. The Glass Elevator was in the wall next to him, and he was eager to show it off. Finally, a side door opened and Astra was practically running down the hall to get to him. A broad smile spread across his face, and his arms unexpectedly wrapped themselves around Astra's waist, lifting her up and whirling her around the hall, her voice happy and giggling as she was swung around. Her laughter made Willy's heart dance, and he regretfully set her down, though he still smiled as he did so.

"Ready to see my newest invention, Starshine?" he asked, keeping one arm around her waist as he escorted her to the wall.

Astra nodded, her smile and excited expression showing her eagerness. "Absolutely!" she exclaimed. "I can't wait to see how you managed to change the way an elevator works."

Willy grinned and pushed the button on the wall. "Well, here we go!"

* * *

When a section of the door slid open, Astra was shocked to see an elevator made entirely out of some sort of clear material. Reaching forward, she tapped it a couple times and deduced that it was made out of glass! Amazed at the chocolatier's cleverness, she quickly stepped in and looked at the long rows of buttons plastered all over the wall. Small labels were lined up next to the buttons, telling the rider what button led to where. It was so creative! Biting back a squeal of delight, Astra looked up into Willy's sparkling violet eyes.

"Can I pick a button?" she asked, clapping her hands excitedly.

A bright smile greeted her enthusiasm. "Go ahead!" he said, waving his hands at the walls full of buttons. "Pick a room, any room!"

Fudge Mountain seemed like a good one, but Willy shook his head, saying that it was a bit cold and that she wasn't dressed for it. Instead, he pushed a button that read Whatever Floats Your Boat. Puzzled, she looked up at him and was about to ask him what that was when the elevator gave a huge jerk, causing her to fly directly into Willy Wonka's arms.

As the Glass Elevator smoothly glided its way through the factory, Astra found herself looking deep into violet eyes. The lighting around them changed rapidly as they moved, and with each change came a certain sparkle that lit within the purple orbs of Willy Wonka's gaze. The ride was a bit jarring, but Astra didn't move an inch, thanks to the firm grip that Willy's arms had on her waist.

In short, it was the best elevator ride of her life.

* * *

When they finally stopped at their destination, the two of them merely stood and stared at one another for a moment, not registering anything around them. Willy found himself thoroughly enjoying having Astra in his arms, her brown eyes staring up at him with awe and shyness. It was rather charming, and he liked it. The fact that her fingers were gripping his coat and holding him close to her was a very good thing, too, and he found himself wanting to hold her closer instead of pushing her away, like he did with other people.

'_And she smells especially eatable today_,' he thought, nervously licking the inside of his lips.

Astra must have used some sort of fruit-scented lotion or soap before she arrived at the factory. The enticing smell of melon and fresh scent of cucumber invaded his senses, and Willy longed to close his eyes and get a better whiff of it. Giving into the pull of his sense of smell, he leaned forward and sniffed, right behind her ear. He heard her give a small sound of surprise, but ignored it to get a better smell of her. Gosh, she smelled delightful!

'_I should make this into a candy_,' he thought through the haze forming in his mind as he sniffed. '_Maybe I'll make it into a candy for myself or something_…'

How long the two of them stood there in the elevator, Willy had no clue, but the sound of someone coughing rather effectively shook him out of the fruit-scented induced cloud that he was in, and caused him pull back from where his face was buried in Astra's neck. Looking around, he spotted an Oompa Loompa standing there, a rather large grin on his face as he saw their position. Blushing, Willy cleared his throat and (reluctantly) removed his arms from around Astra.

"Yes?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the tiny worker.

The Oompa Loompa simply giggled and walked away, leaving the two taller folks standing alone in the elevator. Willy took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Glancing over to his left, he saw that Astra had a deep blush forming over her cheeks, her eyes focused on the floor in front of the elevator. Her shy and blushing demeanor only made her look more sweet and appealing to him, but Willy decided not to press his luck; after all, he'd just sniffed her neck for who-knows-how-long!

Once again, he cleared his throat. "Shall we?" he asked, offering his left arm to her.

* * *

The whole "sniffing incident" had been a rather surprising turn of events, along with falling directly into Willy Wonka's arms. Although the feeling of having Willy holding her tightly was very pleasant and warm, the part where he leaned forward and began sniffing her neck was rather…odd. No one had ever tried to smell her neck before. Men and women had, of course, sniffed the air around her and asked what sort of perfume she wore, but that was basically it. Never had a person leaned in and pressed their nose to her in an attempt to smell her body spray!

'_Not that it had been a bad experience_,' Astra thought to herself as Willy led her out of the Glass Elevator and into a dark blue hallway with silver floor and ceiling tiles.

And it had been rather nice to be in that sort of position with him. On the other hand, he was old enough to be her father, not to mention that he was actually a life-long best friend of her father's! Astra highly doubted that this sort of thing was appropriate, but if it was so wrong, why did it feel so right? It had been so wonderful being held by the famous chocolatier that it couldn't be wrong…could it?

Pushing aside the right-or-wrong debate in her head, Astra focused her attention on the door that Willy stopped in front of and what he had to tell her about the room. However, instead of saying anything, he simply opened the door and bowed her into the room to let her judge it for herself.

The Whatever Floats Your Boat Room was created specifically so Willy could construct his huge, pink, hard candy boat. Once it was finished, however, it seemed sort of silly for him to dedicate a room just to creating one boat. After giving it much thought, the candyman had decided to turn it into a room that could produce candy boats for children when the factory reopened. The idea he had was creating small hard candy or chocolate toy boat sets for children to put in water or milk whenever the weather was too icky to play outside in. Presently, however, Willy Wonka was trying to get a few prototypes to impress Astra with.

After moving aside a few Oompa Loompas, he picked up a blue candy boat that was in the shape of a pirate ship and another that was the shape of a Navy ship from the seventeenth century. He saw Astra follow his movements, curiosity in her eyes as she watched him walk over to a small tub full of water.

Each boat was about six inches long and six inches high, and both of them were remarkably detailed for something that would only be eaten in a matter of hours. Astra watched as Willy placed the two boats into the water on opposite sides of the tub. He then winked at her, motioning with his hands for her to watch the boats. She did so, and as her attention focused on the eatable toys, the two boats began sailing towards one another under their own power!

Astra watched in fascination as the two small ships pulled along side one another and began to fire tiny little pellets of hard candy at one another, reenacting what might have happened centuries ago between real British ships and those that were crewed by pirates. Right in front of her very eyes, a mock battle was happening between two candy ships! It was the greatest thing she'd ever seen, and her hands itched to get one of the candy ships from the production line that was currently running behind her. Looking up, Astra saw immense pride plastered all over Willy Wonka's face as he also watched the battle.

"I'm hoping that these will be popular with both boys and girls, but as long as they make someone happy, it doesn't really matter, now, does it, Starshine?" he said, focusing his attention on her.

Astra nodded. "I have quite a few cousins who would love to have one of these for their birthday or Christmas," she replied, grinning at him. "In fact, could I take one home to Mitch? He might like it."

"Of course you can!" Willy exclaimed, grinning wildly at her request. "I couldn't refuse a request from you, Starshine, no matter how hard I tried!"

Astra blushed at that last sentence. How many people would take advantage of that sort of open offer from the world's greatest chocolatier? It made her feel proud, knowing that she wasn't one of those horrid folks who would attempt to use their friendship to get something out of it. Smiling, Astra turned her attention back to the boats, only to watch one begin to sink into the water.

"Oh, no!" she said, reaching out for the sinking ship. A gloved hand stopped her, and she watched in amazement as the sinking ship came back up and began to sail once more.

"I made them from a very good hard candy recipe that would keep them from dissolving in water for two or three hours, and would keep them from sinking too soon into a mock battle," Willy explained as the ships resumed their original positions on opposite sides of the tub. "That way the kids can play with them until they get bored and then eat them when they're done!"

Astra smiled at him. "They're absolutely amazing," she said, staring down at the ships.

Suddenly, her watch beeped, signaling that her father was expecting her back at the hotel within the hour. She gave Willy an apologetic look, and he nodded his understanding before leading her back towards the elevator.

* * *

The glass doors slid shut as the two braced themselves for another eventful ride. Willy was especially looking forward to it, since it meant that Astra was likely to fall into his arms again. Sure enough, a second after pushing the button for the back hallway, Willy once more found the lovely young lady very cozily smooshed against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her waist in order to help her regain her sense of balance, Willy watched as a red tint spread up her cheeks, his own face beginning to feel a tad bit warm. On the whole, though, the ride was brief and uneventful…until the Elevator reached its final destination.

Willy had leaned in closer to Astra's face to get one last sniff of her delicious-scented lotion when the unexpected jerk of the elevator caused his lips to press firmly against hers. Frozen in surprise, Willy found himself unable to pull out of the sudden kiss he had suddenly discovered himself in.

* * *

'_Oh, my gosh, I'm kissing Willy Wonka_!' a voice sounded off in Astra's mind.

Astoundingly, it wasn't a bad kiss, considering the suddenness of it. His lips were rather soft and very warm, not to mention very gentle. The surprised stiffness that Willy had assumed at the beginning of the kiss began to quickly disappear, and Astra soon found that he was very eagerly giving into his instinct of deepening the kiss. Surrendering to her own inward feelings, she melted into his embrace, closing her eyes and savoring the warm, tingly emotions that were spreading from her chest and into her toes. A small, contented sigh escaped from her throat as she tightened the grip she had on his coat. She felt the arms around her waist tighten in response to her sigh, and smiled.

* * *

Willy felt her smile against his mouth and was thrilled that Astra enjoyed the kiss as much as him. Never before had he kissed a woman, and he was beyond happy knowing that it was Astra that he had the chance to share such a moment with. The sensation of her lips on his was better than anything he had ever experienced in his life, even better than the first piece of candy that he'd had as a child. No, this was infinitely better, and there was nothing in the world that Willy Wonka wouldn't give to make this kiss last forever. His arms pulled Astra even closer to him, trapping her against his body in an attempt to prolong the kiss as much as possible.

* * *

Unfortunately, all things must come to an end, and the need for air caused the two to pull apart and catch their breath. Astra pulled back to look into Willy's dazed violet eyes, trying to figure out how he felt about the kiss. Did he regret it, even though it had started out as an accident? Would he forbid her from ever setting foot in the factory again, forcing her to stay away from him and the magical air that flowed around him and everything he did? Would she never see him again after the most amazing moment she'd ever had with him?

The small, contented smile that settled on his lips put her fears to rest. She felt one of his hands move from her waist and settle on her cheek, gently caressing her face with a gloved finger. The rubber gave a slight squeak as it glided across her skin, the sensation as unique as the man causing it. Smiling, Astra gazed up into vibrant purple eyes.

"I have to go," she whispered, so as not to ruin the moment. "My dad will be waiting for me."

Willy nodded and released her. "Until later, my Starshine," he softly replied, not removing his hand.

She nodded, giving him one last kiss before slipping out of the elevator and out of the factory.

* * *

As he watched Astra disappear out the door, Willy Wonka found himself going into a dreamy haze of thought over what had just happened between them. He knew that she had enjoyed the kiss from the way she had sighed and smiled, and he, too, had found his insides melting as she kissed and held onto him. It was wonderful, better than anything he'd ever imagined.

But she was his best friend's daughter, and that made the pure happiness flowing through him stop, freezing like ice in his veins. If Robert ever found out about this, Willy's blissful romance with Astra would be over before it had even really begun. A father first protected his children, and Willy had no doubt that Robert would tear him apart if he knew that his best friend was romantically interested in (and involved with) his daughter.

'_Well, then, I'll just have to make sure that he doesn't find out_,' he thought, twirling his cane as he began to walk to his room instead of using the Glass Elevator.

But that was easier said than done. Within the next day or two, the Johnson's would be departing, and he would likely not see Astra again for a very long time. No, he had to do something now, before she left him, probably for good. Focusing on that thought, Willy walked towards his room, working on a plan to keep his Starshine with him in his factory forever.

* * *

AN: Aw, can you feel the romance and sappiness? Review and let me know if you liked it! 


	11. Caught in the Act

Disclaimer: Despite my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine.

AN: This chapter may seem a bit romantic and a bit sad, but it's all in the story, people! Enjoy!

**Chapter 11: Caught In the Act**:

Willy spent the entire night wracking his brain for a way to keep Astra in the factory with him. If it weren't for the fact that he never suffered from sleep deprivation, he would have been in serious trouble. However, an idea hit him a few days before the Johnson's were due to leave. It was quite simple, really, and he didn't know why he didn't think of it before.

It was fairly obvious that Astra cared a great deal about both him and his candy, so why not tempt her with both? Willy already knew that he adored the lovely girl that smelled so eatable, and to lose her so soon after finding her again would be unbearable for him. As a matter of fact, he'd managed to create and bottle a scent similar to that of her lotion just so that he could always imagine that she was nearby. The little green glass bottle currently hung from a gold chain around his neck, and he occasionally pulled the tiny stopper out of the bottle just to get a tiny whiff of the stuff.

'_She's like an addiction_,' Willy thought to himself as he watched the Oompa Loompas carry out his plans. '_I just can't get enough of her_! _It's just weird_!'

Willy had never been popular with the female half of the population, and having Astra interested in him like this just blew his mind to pieces. She was so pretty and so charming that he wondered why some other boy hadn't come along and married her already. Were the men out there in the world blind, deaf, and dumb to her and her sparkling self? What was wrong with the male population that they couldn't see what was right in front of them?

'_Oh, well, that just leaves her all for me_!' he happily thought, grinning broadly as he watched the tiny people do their work.

* * *

Even though Willy didn't believe it possible, the Oompa Loompas knew _exactly_ what was happening between him and the pretty lady that had lately been visiting the factory so often. They saw their employer's smiling face and his eagerness to please the young woman, and they fully supported it. For too long had Willy Wonka been alone in the factory, and it was about time that he found someone to love and be loved by.

As they worked to put his latest plan into action, the Oompa Loompas exchanged knowing glances and winks, intent on making this pairing a success.

* * *

As she brushed her hair, Astra fought an inward battle. She was completely head over heels for Willy Wonka, and if their shared kiss had been any clue, he was smitten with her, too.

'_But would Mom and Daddy approve_?' she thought, her brush stopping in mid-stroke.

Considering the fact that Willy was old enough to be her father (or at least an uncle), it wasn't too likely that her parents would take kindly to having him date their daughter…especially when she had only recently turned eighteen years old! She was technically an adult and could make her own decisions, but Astra truly wanted her parents' approval before she and Willy did anything more than kiss one another inside of glass elevators!

'_It'll never happen_,' declared a voice in the back of her head. '_Your mom didn't even like the thought of you dating while going to high school_! _And dating while you are in college_? Ha! _You can forget that idea_!'

True enough, her mother hadn't even liked the idea of Astra going to a school dance with anyone. To see her daughter with an older man would likely cause her to have a heart attack, and her father…well, who knew what her father would do to poor Willy once he got his hands on the chocolatier? She didn't want anyone to get hurt, but if things went the way she believed they would, then someone was going to get hurt, physically or emotionally, no matter what she did.

Astra could only hope that she and Willy could figure something out before her parents suspected something. Meanwhile, she braced herself before going back to the factory. Her bags were all packed and ready for the long plane ride home, all of the hotel bills had been settled, and her family was ready to go, so there was only one thing that she had to deal with…and that was Willy Wonka.

* * *

Pacing while waiting for Astra to show up had become an annoying habit of Willy's, but it kept him busy, so he kept it up. The Oompa Loompas were a tad annoyed with it, but since it was better than Willy tapping his foot or his cane on the floor, they let it pass. Besides, if they understood how he felt about her, then they could hardly blame him for being impatient, could they?

The sound of a door opening and approaching footsteps caused him to look up and grin. There she was, dressed in jeans and a dark green shirt, smiling as though she were happy to see him, which, of course, she was. Willy could tell by the way Astra wrapped her arms around him in a tremendous hug that he gladly returned in full. He'd never enjoyed hugging before, but when Astra did it, it felt so nice and warm; she was a wonderful hugger, and he'd never felt more safe and secure in his life.

"Welcome back, Starshine," he whispered into her ear. He felt her tense up in his arms, something that was totally unlike her. Willy pulled back so that he could look her in the eye. "Is something wrong, Starshine?" he asked, concern written all over his face.

Astra merely avoided his gaze by gazing at the floor. "I'm just sad that I'll be leaving tomorrow," she said, her shoulders sagging slightly at the depressing thought.

Willy didn't exactly like the idea, either; it was like a black cloud hanging over them, and he knew that he had to put his plan into action as quickly as possible! If he was to keep his precious Astra here at the factory, he'd have to win her over, and soon. There was no time to waste, and everything was already in place…it was time to get to work.

"I have a surprise for you today," Willy cheerfully exclaimed, a broad smile on his face as he offered her his arm. "Would you like to see it?"

She merely smiled at him and took his arm. It was all the encouragement he needed.

* * *

Astra was surprised when he led her directly into the Chocolate Room. She had already been inside dozens of times and knew the entire thing by heart. Why did he insist on taking her into a room when she already knew what was there? Inwardly sighing, she simply followed the strangely wonderful chocolatier. Well, he did say that he had a surprise for her, didn't he?

'_Maybe it's a new kind of candy that he wants me to see or try out for him_?' she thought to herself.

But if that was so, why, then, didn't Willy take her to the Inventing Room? That was where he took all of the Oompa Loompas that tested his candy, and if he were, in fact, trying to impress her with a new confection, it would have definitely been the Inventing Room that held the new tasty treat. Why would he take her into the Chocolate Room to show her something? A moment later, as they approached the chocolate river and waited, Astra understood his reasons.

The sound of drumbeats vibrated through her chest, causing her to shiver with excitement. She truly enjoyed the boat rides Willy took her on, so she eagerly awaited the arrival of the boat. However, as the very tip of the huge floating confection rounded the corner, Astra's jaw dropped. Instead of the usual pink seahorse boat, this one was a dark blue and in the shape of a swan. In the rear end of the ship was a pavilion completely wrapped up in dark cloth, which would give the boat riders privacy from the Oompa Loompa rowers.

Taken completely by surprise, Astra found herself unable to move from her spot on the shore. Had Willy created this new boat just for her? It was silly to think so, considering the fact that she was leaving tomorrow, but from the way the Oompa Loompas smiled up at her, the famous chocolatier must have built this boat with her in mind. But what was that curtained-off pavilion for? Shrugging, Astra followed Willy onto the boat and behind the thin sheets of the tent.

She was even more surprised to see that, instead of benches, this one had dozens of cushions spread around to make things more comfortable. That had to mean that this was more of a recreational boat than the pink one, and instead of going around the factory, this boat was to be used for relaxation purposes. The soothing blue colors and the darkness of the tent gave it a very calm atmosphere, and Astra soon found herself feeling very peaceful. There was a sugary smell to the tent that had a hint of blueberries and cream that made her feel a bit drowsy.

Willy must have sensed her weariness, because he took her hand and seated her down on a large pillow before taking a seat next to her. Once they were both seated, Astra noticed that he hadn't let go of her hand, and instead kept it tightly wrapped in his own gloved palm. A few moments of silence passed, the only sound that could be heard was that of their breathing. Risking a glance out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Willy was staring at her, his face hovering very close to hers.

"You're so beautiful, Starshine," he whispered, his free hand reaching up to caress her left cheek as his face drew nearer. "I want to wrap you up and hold you close for ever and ever."

Astra couldn't help but blush under the palm of his hand as his lips met hers.

* * *

Willy savored the feeling of Astra's lips respond to the heated kiss he'd started. It was amazing how she always made him feel so good, so wonderful, so…_wanted_. No woman had ever wanted him like this before, and the feel of his precious Astra touching his face and neck as they kissed was heaven. Unconsciously, Willy deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around Astra's waist and pulling her body against his. He felt her gasp, and, unable to restrain himself, he pushed his tongue into her mouth.

* * *

Astra felt his tongue inside her mouth and sighed. She's never been kissed like this before, and having Willy be the first to kiss her like this blew her mind almost as much as the kiss itself! When his arms reached to surround her waist, alarm bells went off in her head. How far, exactly, did he want to take this? She highly doubted that he would "go all the way," but a person could never tell. Still, Willy's gentle, though insistent, touch was too wonderful to pass up. Instead, Astra shoved aside all second thoughts and focused on the kiss she was receiving from the handsome chocolatier in front of her.

Suddenly, her world tilted as Astra found herself on her back, her lips still pressed against Willy's with his arms still wrapped firmly around her. Pulling her head back, she opened her mouth to protest, but the gentleness in Willy's violet eyes told her that he was not doing to go further than kissing. She smiled up at him and was rewarded with a blinding white grin.

"I love you, Starshine," he whispered.

Willy's confession of love had somewhat surprised Astra. She hadn't actually thought that he would fall in love with her, or at least, feel that intensely for her in such a short amount of time. After all, the two of them had only known each other for a few days, and had kissed for the first time only recently. Did Willy actually mean what he said, or could he just be acting impulsively?

Gazing deep into his eyes, Astra saw the deep feelings that Willy had for her in his heart. There was an honest, childlike air around him, and she knew that there was no way he was going to lie to her about anything. Just like children were so openly honest with those around them, Willy Wonka would be wholeheartedly honest with those he knew. So instead of pushing him aside and demanding that they take things slow (as her logical side insisted), Astra listened to her heart.

"I love you, too, Willy Wonka," she whispered in reply, just before his lips pressed against hers once more.

* * *

Unbeknownst to both Willy and Astra, Robert Johnson had decided to come to the factory and find his daughter. He was rather disturbed about the fact that his friend was spending so much time with the much younger Astra, and it made him sick to his stomach. Even though Astra and Willy had been close, their bonding time had happened while she was a child and easily amused by candy. But she was now an eighteen-year-old woman, and being around a (Robert was sorry to say) mentally unstable candy maker didn't seem right…

Putting those thoughts foremost in his head, Robert walked straight up to the back of the chocolate factory and pounded on the door in the back. He seriously didn't expect anyone to be waiting back there, or to even answer his knock, but was pleasantly surprised when one of the little Oompa Loompas opened the door and stared at him with equal shock.

"I want to see my daughter," he demanded of the little man, who quickly nodded and led him inside.

He was quickly escorted down several hallways until he reached the Chocolate Room. Taking a quick look around, he only saw a dark blue boat floating in the chocolate river, not moving an inch. It appeared to be deserted, though there was a sort of tent/pavilion near the very end made of blue cloth. A few sounds could be heard coming from behind the cloth, mostly sighs and soft whispers in both male and female voices. Robert knew that there was no chance that the voices came from Oompa Loompas (since he'd never heard them talk), and the thought of what might be happening in there made his blood boil. Stalking up to the side of the boat, he quickly boarded and flung aside the front flaps of the pavilion.

To his shock and horror, there lay his best friend and daughter, locked in an intimate embrace as they kissed.

* * *

Upon hearing the cloth of the tent being pulled back and the sharp intake of breath, Astra pulled back from the kiss and looked to her right. The outline of her very angry father told her all she needed to know as she pulled away from Willy's warm and loving embrace.

"Daddy!" she said, straightening her hair and likely looking as ashamed and embarrassed as she felt. "Daddy, we…"

"Don't even try to explain yourselves, Astra," her father snapped as his hands gripped the material of the tent. "I want you on shore in less than a minute, young lady, or else!"

He stormed out of the tent, the boat rocking as he stepped ashore. Astra glanced over at Willy, seeing the shock in his eyes as she made to leave. A gloved hand on her arm held her down, and she was soon wrapped up in Willy's arms for a brief second before escorting her out of the tent and onto the mint grass. Once they were all firmly on land, Astra glanced between the man she loved and her father.

'_Dear God, please don't have them fight_,' she silently prayed. She had never prayed before, but this seemed like an excellent time to start; she truly didn't want anyone to get hurt (or even killed) because of her!

Her father suddenly pointed an accusatory finger at Willy's face. "**_You_**," he began, his voice tight and filled with anger and hate. "You have no right to take advantage of my daughter! For God's sake, Willy, Astra's half your age! She's barely even a grown woman, and here you are, making out in the back of a boat!" He took a step closer to the chocolatier, who surprisingly didn't back down. "I'm taking my daughter home with her mother and I, and there is nothing you can do to stop us, Willy Wonka."

* * *

Before Willy could even react to his now former friend's words, Robert grabbed his daughter and began heading up towards the doors. A violent tug on his heart told him that it was just about to break as he watched his beloved Astra be pulled away from him. It was all he could do to not run after her and pull her back. After all, Robert was her father, and he knew what was best for her…didn't he?

"Ouch! Daddy, you're hurting me!" Astra's pain-filled voice reached his ears.

Willy saw red. How _dare_ someone try and hurt his Starshine! Going back to the boat, Willy grabbed his cane and raced up the hill after the retreating Johnson's, Astra's protesting voice filling his ears with her pleas for her father to loosen his grip on her. It took Willy less than a minute to catch up, and by then, his cane was ready to protect and defend the woman he loved. Raising it, he carefully reached out and brought it down, hard, on Robert's hand, causing him to release Astra from his grip.

Astra immediately stopped walking, and Willy wrapped his arm around her as he leaned in to check her wrist for injuries. There were dark spots where Robert's large fingertips had been, and Willy could feel anger rising up again inside of him. However, instead of showing his aggression, he made a call for the Oompa Loompas to come and help him. Suddenly, the three were surrounded by the tiny beings, all of them holding candy spears.

Robert took a quick assessment of the situation before turning to face his daughter. "Astra, you're coming home with me," he declared, reaching for her once more.

Willy raised his cane so that it was like a horizontal barrier between them. "You won't touch her," the chocolatier firmly replied, violet eyes narrowing in anger.

"She is my daughter and I am taking her home!" snarled a very red-faced Robert. "You have no right to interfere in this!"

"I do when it concerns the woman I love."

* * *

Willy's bold declaration left a very heavy pause in the air. Astra didn't know whether to be thrilled or terrified that her father now knew about what the famous man felt for her. Deep inside, her heart was torn in two. Would she go home with her family and never see Willy again? She knew that her father would forbid her from ever returning here, and there was no way she'd ever be able to save up enough money to come back on her own.

The thought of living without Willy again sent a painful chill up her spine. Astra knew that if she went home, life would be incredibly lonely. She'd go to college, and while she was gone, her parents would carefully comb through her mail so that she could never again be in contact with the man she loved. She'd be encouraged to let her beautiful dreams of magic and candy die, to wither away and turn towards the cold harshness of everyday life. Her dreams of romance would end the moment she set foot outside the factory walls, and everything she held so dear to her heart would be tossed away like trash. There was no way she was going to allow that. She needed to take a stand.

"I'm not going."

* * *

Willy felt his heart stop when she said those words. Did she just say that she wanted to stay with him here in the factory? Or did he just imagine it? Would she really stay with him? He quickly shifted his eyes between Astra and her father. Robert looked somewhere between shocked and angry. Soon, however, anger won, and Willy could feel Astra trembling beside him. He seriously doubted that she had so openly disobeyed her father before, but he was very proud of her for doing so.

Robert took a deep breath as he tried to calm down. "Astra, you can't seriously believe that you love him and want to stay here with him," he slowly reasoned with her, as though she were a small child. "You're young and don't understand the situation. Let's just go home and we can talk about this."

Astra shook her head. "No," she said, reaching out to grab Willy's free hand. "I love him and I want to stay here at the factory." She glared at her father when he attempted to protest. "You've always treated me like I was a little girl, like I didn't understand anything! Just because I believe in fairytales and love candy doesn't mean I'm stupid and don't see the world around me. I may not be a "normal" teenager like Mitchell, but at least I know what love is!"

Robert's eye narrowed to slits. "Fine then," he said, pulling himself up to his fill height. "Stay with him. But don't expect me to stick around when you realize your mistake."

Then he turned around and left the two lovers standing in the hallway.

* * *

Astra could hardly believe what had just happened. She was allowed to stay behind and be with Willy forever, but she'd had to give up her family in order to do so.

'_Did I choose wrongly_?' she thought, staring in blank shock at the place her father had once stood.

The intense kiss Willy gave her as he hugged her close pushed all doubts from her mind…for the moment, at least…

* * *

AN: Well, what do you think about this chapter? I hope that you all enjoyed it. It's not much farther to the ending after this. I'm not sure how many chapters are left, but I promise to make them the best that I can! **_Review_**! 


	12. Life Afterwards & The End

Disclaimer: Despite my numerous break-in attempts on the Burton compound, Willy Wonka **_still_** remains out of my reach and therefore isn't mine.

AN: I'm afraid the end of the story is here. I have officially worn myself out on the delectable Willy Wonka. I still love the film and all, but after writing one story and co-authoring another, I'm worn out. However, you can still find me in the **_Pirates of the Caribbean_** section, and quite possibly the **_Phantom of the Opera_** section…after Christmas break, of course. Happy reading!

**Chapter 12: Life Afterwards**:

"So what happened after that?" Charlie asked, not taking his eyes off of the woman in front of him.

Astra laughed as Mrs. Bucket set a plate of sliced vegetables and ranch dressing in front of her. "Well, Willy spent an entire month romancing me in every way he could," she said, picking up a carrot stick and stirring the ranch with it. "You know, the usual flowers, dinner together almost every night, long walks along the chocolate river, that sort of thing."

She took a bite of carrot and chewed slowly before swallowing, the entire Bucket family watching as though the fate of the world depended on her eating movements. After she had swallowed, Astra took a drink of milk from the cup that Grandpa Joe had set beside her. Once she had eaten the entire carrot stick, she noticed the attention she was getting, and blushed. The Bucket's had the decency to look away and cough or pretended to be interested in other things. A few moments passed, and Astra cleared her throat to catch their attention once more.

"Anyway, where was I?"

"You were talking about Mr. Wonka romancing you," chimed Mrs. Bucket, who had taken a seat next to the younger woman.

"Oh, yes," Astra said, smiling as she blushed. "Well, anyway, after Willy had did his best to win me over, he finally asked me to marry him…"

* * *

Willy had been unusually quiet and tense this evening, though Astra couldn't figure out why. Most of the time the man couldn't stop chattering and laughing, and this sudden change of mood was beginning to worry her. He had been all right up until now, after he had followed her onto the Swan Boat and they had cast off, the Oompa Loompas rowing extremely slowly through the river of chocolate. Once they were away from shore, Willy had pulled the rope to close the tent around them, cutting them off from the world outside.

"Willy, are you okay?" she asked, turning to her left to face him after they were safely wrapped in privacy. "You seem a bit…uncomfortable today. Is everything alright?"

Willy looked away and coughed nervously. "Well, you see, my Starshine…"

Astra put her hand on his shoulder and was rewarded with him kissing her hand, a smile on his lips. She saw him reach into his jacket and pull out a small red box tied with a purple ribbon. He handed the small box to her and watched as she untied it and carefully opened it. Inside was a lovely diamond ring in the shape of a heart with tiny golden pearls on either side.

Astra gasped. "Oh, my goodness," she whispered, looking from the ring to Willy's violet eyes. "Willy, are you…"

"I want you to marry me, Starshine," he said, taking the ring out of its box and slipping it onto her finger. "My factory is so empty and cold without you, and if you aren't here to make me happy, well…not even the greatest candy in the world could make me feel better."

Astra smiled and gave him a quick, loving kiss on the lips. "That means yes," she whispered, smiling up at him.

* * *

"But if Willy Wonka married you, why would he need an heir?" Grandma Josephine asked, her old, wrinkled face frowning in puzzlement.

"Yes, why would he send out the Golden Tickets?" Charlie quipped, looking Astra straight in the eye.

"Well, you see…"

At this point, Astra seemed very uncomfortable, shifting back and forth in her seat before speaking once more.

* * *

After three years of marriage, Willy and Astra had never been happier. The factory was doing wonderfully in its candy sales, and children all over the world were crazy for the wonderful Wonka confections. With each new creation, Willy would race down the hallways, trying to find his wife to show her his proud achievement, which would only make Astra even happier about her decision to stay with the unusual candy maker.

However, Astra would have been much happier if her family had come back into her life and accepted the invitation to come to the factory for the wedding. She had desperately wanted them there, but the invitation had been returned without even a message. In the end, it was only Willy, Astra, and the Oompa Loompa tribe at the ceremony. The Oompa Loompa women had made a white silk gown with crystal bead stars on the bodice, and had crafted a headdress from white chocolate roses to fasten the veil with. Willy had been pressed into wearing a black suit for the occasion, and the two had exchanged vows in front of the Oompa Loompa chief and his head tribe members.

For a month after that day, Willy almost never let Astra out of his sight. He constantly had to have her by his side no matter what he was doing or where he was going. Sometimes he even followed her around, just to be sure she was still in the factory! It was as though he feared that she would disappear and never come back to him, leaving him alone in his factory once more. Finally, though, he allowed her to roam around the factory as she pleased, even letting her go out into the town whenever she wanted to go shopping or get some fresh air.

However, the really critical part of their marriage came when trying to have children. Both of them wanted kids, and the thought of little (human) footsteps running around the factory and sitting in their parents' laps appealed as much to Willy as it did to Astra. Despite all attempts, though, the two never found themselves blessed with a child.

Finally, the real test came after Willy found a gray hair while getting his semi-annual haircut. Willy had come running out of the depths of the factory, panic in his eyes as he found his beloved wife in her room, reading a book. He'd waved the hair in her face and began babbling on about needing a 'hair' for the factory.

Astra had immediately translated his problem and word choice in her head, trying to sooth her agitated husband in the process. Eventually, Willy had calmed down and the two of them settled down to discuss how to solve the problem of there being a lack of Wonka heirs. Eventually, they decided on adopting or choosing a child from the outside world. But whom would they choose?

"It could be either male or female, Willy," Astra said thoughtfully. "It doesn't really matter, as long as they are willing to learn your technique of candymaking."

"But I don't want any spoiled or rotten kids, Starshine," Willy remarked, making a face. "There are enough of those in the world, and I want to be sure to pick the right one."

"You mean like picking the right ticket out of a raffle to win the prize?" Astra asked, amused at her husband's behavior.

"Exactly!" he exclaimed, grinning broadly as he leapt out of his chair. "It'll be a contest," he said, pacing back and forth around the room. "I'll send out some tickets for some kids to find, and they could come to the factory and we'll pick out the best one to take over!"

It sounded pretty out of this world to Astra, but it was better than nothing. Besides, the worst that could happen was that they would have to simply send out more tickets, should the first batch of children prove unwholesome and/or unworthy of being taken into the Wonka family. In the end, Willy and Astra decided to act out the plan in one year, where five golden tickets were to be printed and sent out all over the world for five very special children to find.

* * *

"Wow," Charlie said, perched on the edge of his seat. "So that was why the tickets were sent out!"

"Were you there when we were allowed to tour the factory?" Grandpa Joe asked from his seat on the bed. "We didn't see you anywhere, so how did you know who won at the end when Mr. Wonka had immediately taken us up and away in his Glass Elevator?"

Astra smiled. "There are many secret passageways in the factory," she explained. "And all of them have some way of observing what's going on in the rooms, so I merely followed you along the tour." She frowned for a moment. "I'm afraid that getting to the Television Room was a bit difficult, but given the fact that the Teevee boy loved the thing so much, I pretty much expected him to choose that room as soon as he got into the Elevator."

Charlie and Grandpa Joe laughed as they remembered the incident with the other boy. Astra joined in and finished the small vegetable snack tray Mrs. Bucket had left her. Finally, once the dish had been cleared away, the room became silent as the buckets contemplated Mrs. Wonka's story.

"How do you feel about Charlie winning the factory?" Mrs. Bucket asked, gazing at the woman next to her.

"Oh, I knew Charlie would win the moment I saw him at the front gates," Astra replied, smiling at the young boy. "I saw from the news what spoiled brats the others were, but when Charlie showed up, I liked what I saw and knew that he was a boy that would appreciate candy and all that it had to offer. I'm actually very proud of him winning."

Suddenly, Mr. Bucket spoke up. "What about your parents?" he asked. "Haven't you spoken to them after all this time?"

Astra shook her head, her eyes sad. "I've tried a dozen times to get in contact with them. I've tried to write and call them, but letters are sent back unopened and calls get hung up on," she said, sighing. "I even tried to visit, but the door was slammed in my face. I've accepted the fact that I've disappointed them and that they will not forgive me for quite some time." She gave them a sad smile.

Mrs. Bucket immediately covered the young woman's hands with hers, giving her all the comfort a mother could give an abandoned child.

* * *

An hour later, Astra entered the factory through the back gates where an Oompa Loompa took her coat and led her back to the rooms she shared with Willy. She figured that she still had some time to herself, given that Willy had taken to constantly visiting his psychiatrist after Charlie had rejected the factory. What she didn't expect to find was a very upset Willy Wonka standing in the middle of their bedroom suite.

"The Oompa Loompas tell me that you've been out to see Charlie," he said, frowning a little.

Astra sighed; she hated it when he got into one of his little moods. "I had to apologize to the Bucket's and explain why things are the way they are," she said, taking a seat in one of the chairs by the fireplace. An Oompa Loompa handed her a cup of hot, creamy soup and a spoon, which she thanked him for. "And it wasn't right for you in the first place to have him choose between his family and the factory like that. He's just a little boy, and he needs them very much right now."

"But you know how family and p-p-p-"

"Parents," she automatically replied before taking a bite of soup.

"Yeah, that," he said, pacing back and forth. "You know how they can be about things like this!"

Astra sighed and put her soup on a nearby table. "I know," she said, getting up and walking over to her husband, wrapping her arms around his neck to make him stop pacing and face her. "But it was still wrong of you. The Bucket's are good people. I knew that when they opened their door to me and let me into their home. They're good parents and grandparents, and they've managed to raise a very good, creative, inquisitive young boy who would be perfect at running the factory."

She hushed any protests by pressing a kiss to his lips.

Like he always did, Willy threw aside anything else he had to say and kissed her back, his arms snaking around his lovely wife's waist to hold her close to him. He truly loved her more than anything, and she was right about Charlie, as well as the entire Bucket clan. They must have been good people to have raised such a good boy. He sighed in protest when she pulled back.

"Now, you _do_ realize that you need to talk to Charlie and apologize," she whispered, pecking him on the lips. He nodded. "Promise?" She kissed him again.

"I promise," he whispered, pulling her back into his embrace for another kiss.

'_Tomorrow_,' Willy thought to himself, hugging Astra as close to his body as he could get. He'd apologize tomorrow and renew his offer to Charlie. Until then, he had something more important to do…like spending the evening with his loving wife.

* * *

AN: The end! I'm so glad so many people liked reading my story; it was fun to write. Feel free to review and tell me how you liked (or disliked) it, and check out my other works! Thanks for reading! 


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